


Cross The Oceans

by WhyIsTheRumAlwaysGone



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, F/M, Falling In Love, Fanfiction, Fred Weasley Lives, Friends to Lovers, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Love, Major Original Character(s), Marauders, POV Original Character, Protective Fred Weasley, Protective George Weasley, Protectiveness, Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw Harry Potter, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Siblings, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Slytherin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:41:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 33,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28683471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhyIsTheRumAlwaysGone/pseuds/WhyIsTheRumAlwaysGone
Summary: Groaning, Fred slumped onto the table as everyone else chattered on. This wasn't fair anymore. He felt like he completely screwed everything up and all because he was Fred Weasley and he didn't have the ability to stop and think before he did something, he had to run into every situation completely confident and self-assured."What's wrong with him" Ron asked mouth and hand full of chicken as he gestured vaguely to Fred's form."He's in love" laughed George.
Relationships: Fred Weasley/George Weasley, Fred Weasley/Original Character(s), Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Fred Weasley/Reader, Fred Weasley/ofc, George Weasley/Original Female Character(s), George Weasley/Reader
Comments: 51
Kudos: 169





	1. The Great Hall

“Stop” 

“What?” 

“Staring” Fred Weasleys attention was then yanked from the other table to look towards his twin brother who was looking straight back at him.  
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about” replied Fred indignantly. George snorted and turned his attention back to the plate of food in front of him and his conversation with Lee. Fred returned his gaze to the far side of the hall, looking at the witch in blue robes as she picked at her food and smiled at the conversation going on around her. He wasn’t entirely sure exactly what it was about her that always called for his attention but something did. He could tell you a great many things about the witch in front of him if you asked. Not that anyone would.

Her name is Asherah but goes by Ash to her friends. She has a thick head of dark hair, and hazel eyes, a smatter of freckles across her nose, that got darker in the sunnier months, dimples and a warm skin tone. She has three brothers two older and the youngest in Ginny’s year, named Hurley. All four children were in the Ravenclaw house and all of the siblings carry the same physical traits, making it easy to spot the resemblance. The oldest brother – Arroyo was a seventh year beater for the Ravenclaw team and Fred knew him well enough thanks to his own role on the quidditch pitch, and knew full well that many girls in his year stopped to stare at him for a minute too long. The other brother was in his sixth year, the same as him and George but despite that fact he didn’t know him very well, besides his name, Callan, the fact he was wickedly smart and that he was related to the girl he was currently fixated on. Asherah had a nice group of friends around her, and was never far away from smiling, but only after she had some form of caffeine in the morning (two sugars in her coffee and none in her tea). She was small in stature, especially in comparison to Fred and Georges height of 6’3, only the top of her head would reach his shoulder if she ever stood next to him. 

Fred shook his head after listing in his own head only a portion of the facts he knew about the girl, from simply watching her and realised with a start, he was very much becoming a stalker. And not a very subtle one according to George. And the simple fact remained that this girl had absolutely no idea he existed. This of course wasn’t true in the slightest, everyone knew who the Weasley twins were, it was impossible not to know. But Asherah remained completely oblivious to Fred Weasley who has been staring longingly at her for the best part of three years. 

The bell then rang signaling the end of breakfast and the approach of first period. Everyone quickly began to move about all at once, the late stragglers to breakfast were quick to grab some slices of toast off the center of the table before the food all magically cleared itself away. 

“So now that you’ve officially become a creepy stalker of a poor unsuspecting girl, do you plan to make a move this year? Or is drooling from the other side of the hall your actual move this year?” George asked Fred as he grabbed his bag, Lee snickered from behind him. Fred once again resumed his glare towards his identical twin. And repeated the same statement from earlier. 

“I’ve again no idea what you’re talking about Georgie” he replied firmly. Before letting out a hefty sigh. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin” he admitted after a pause. 

“This might sound out of the box or whatever but you could try saying hello” Lee inputted rather unhelpfully, but soon backtracked when he saw his usually arrogantly confident friend shake his head furiously. “alright, alright umm you could ask her help in tutoring?”

“She in the year below us Lee, that would make no sense” replied George. “why don’t you ask her to recommend a book to read? She’s always reading isn’t she?” 

“That would be a great plan if Fred could read” Lee jumped in smartly, keen to shoot him down after George shot his own suggestion down. “I know! You could say you got bit by a venomous Tenacula in herbology and need her help to get to the hospital wing.” 

“That’s the stupidest suggestion you’ve ever come up with” 

“I didn’t say he should actually allow himself to be bitten” 

“The whole idea is idiotic not just that part…”

Fred slowly tuned the pair of them out, as they all made their way out of the great hall, his eyes drifting over to the Ravenclaw table once again to get one final glance at her before, he was forced to wait until dinner to see her smile again. On a good day he spotted her passing in the hallway, but those were only fleeting moments. She was stood at the back of the crowd waiting for the majority of the mass to push through, with one of her friends looking at her and smiling as she told some sort of anecdote, and that’s when she looked up and caught him staring at her. Fred felt his neck go hot immediately and snapped his attention to the front and began shoving himself through the crowd, George and Lee right behind him. He knew he shouldn’t have but he couldn’t help risking just one more glance back to see if she was still watching, but her attention was once again captured by her friend beside her. She didn’t seem to have noticed a single thing. This was going to be a long year.


	2. The Hallway

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. The knife was slowly digging out a small chunk in the terribly old table. Asherah was so focused on what she was doing that she didn’t have a clue what was going on around her. I should really get started on that History of Magic essay, she thought to herself as she continued to scrape at the surface of the table. I wonder if Callan would be willing to help me? He knows full well its my least favourite subject. Scratch. Scratch. 

“Ash!” a cry came from her right as well as a well placed elbow in her ribs. 

“Bloody hell Nicole!” Asherah yelped back, “what?” 

She was met with an eye roll from her blue eyed friend. “You’re missing the Dumbledore's speech about the Goblet of Fire, and the other schools, you donut”

“Oh” that certainly got Ash’s attention of decimating the edge of the table. She then focused properly on the Headmaster and what he was saying. The tournament sounded dangerous, that was for sure. Eternal glory and a large cash prize. Ash quickly scanned the table looking for her two older brothers, Callan would just about be old enough to enter by the sounds of it, turning 17 in just a week, but she’d be surprised if he did. She didn’t think it was his style. No, Arroyo was the one to be concerned about. With quidditch being replaced this year by the tournament, and this being his last year, he may well decide to enter. She spotted Callan and Arroyo down closer to the teachers end of the hall, and saw them with their heads together. Oh dear. That definitely wasn’t reassuring. Arroyo glanced up and caught her eye, she shook her head back at him. He just grinned back at her and gave her a wink. Shit head, she thought as she scowled grumpily back at him. Mum will kill us all if she knew he was planning to enter. Asherah was pulled out of her thoughts when at the Gryffindor table the two Weasley twins started shouting over Mr. Crouch complaining of the unfair rules. And it seemed many of the other students were of the same opinion. 

Dumbledore let out a defining cry which soon quietened the whole hall. And got on with the rest of his speech which included the introduction of the two schools that would be joining us in order to take part in this historic event. Nicole rose in her seat slightly to get a better look at all the new Durmstrang boys. 

“Why do they have to sit over with Slytherins?” she complained. 

“Well to be fair, we’ve been given the Beauxbatons, it would be a bit of a squeeze with both schools over here” replied Ash. Nicole quickly waved off her reply, and once again resumed peering across the hall. Ash chuckled at the lack of subtly her friend was currently displaying. 

“You know one of those twins is looking over here again Ash” Nicole turned to her friend and finally sat down properly in her seat. 

“So? They’re probably just trying to get a look at the Beauxbaton lot, like you just were” Ash said while scanning the Gryffindor table herself, and sure enough one of them was indeed looking this way. And like she suspected his eyes immediately started to scan the length of the Ravenclaw table most likely inspecting the new guests. “Everyone is excited to have some new people around.” Nicole just hummed in agreement and then launched into trying to guess what the first possible task could involve and who the potential Hogwarts candidate would be and if she thought she would have a good chance at getting Krum to sign a quidditch jersey for her little brother or not. 

\-----~~~-----

Fred and George were walking down the corridor, after their last class had ended, heading back to the common room, when Fred heard Ash before he saw her this time. She was stood talking to her oldest brother Arroyo, who was clearly getting ranted at if the image was anything to go by. Fred felt Georges elbow in his side, obviously pointing out what Fred had already spotted. 

“Fred, George!” Arroyo shouted down the corridor at the two brothers, and gestured for them to come join him. Whether it was because he actually needed to talk to them or if he just wanted an excuse to escape the current lecture he was being given, was unclear to Fred. Although, judging by his sister currently glaring a hole into the side of her brothers head, Fred would be willing to bet on the latter being true. 

“Hi Ro” greeted George as the two came to a stop in front of the siblings. “How’s it going? Miss having your arse kicked on the Quidditch pitch?”

“Hilarious, I don’t remember you being so cocky last season.” 

“Oh, you mean when Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup?"

“I believe your seeker was randomly gifted a firebolt of all things that year...”

Before George could reply to Arroyo, Asherah cleared her throat nosily and turned quite suddenly to the twins. “I wonder if you guys could help me? I’m currently trying to explain to my brother how utterly dangerous this upcoming tournament is and how it would be completely idiotic to even consider entering, let alone actually doing it” 

The three boys all looked at each other in that moment a bit unsure what to say. Arroyo rolled his eyes, clearly this wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation. “Ash it’s been a week since the announcement was made, I told you I’ve made up my mind. Plus, these are the wrong boys to ask for back up. I’ve heard they’re making their own plans to get past the aging line.” 

A twin set of hazel eyes landed on Fred and George. Fred raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t realised word had spread that far around the castle yet.

“Well?” Asked Arroyo.

“Can’t be revealing anything too soon Ro. How did you come by that information?” Asked Fred. 

Ro smirked back. That was as good as a confirmation that the twins have some sort of plan up their sleeves. 

“You can’t be serious?” Asherah turned on them now. Looking between the two ginger boys. Fred felt himself swallow thickly under her gaze. “The age line is there for a reason. These games are seriously dangerous, have you read about the past ones held? People died you know.” Arroyo smirked again glad to have his sister ranting at someone else for a change. Fred’s palms suddenly got sweaty and felt himself getting nervous, he hated how he turned into a first year around her, this was the most they’d ever spoken. Although technically she was talking to both him and his brother. “You know the tournament was originally banned because the death roll became too high, that means not just one death but multiple, these games aren’t a joke, you know?” Ash continued ranting. 

“Erm” Fred stuttered, he could feel his neck growing hot the longer she continued to fix him with a steady look. Fred looked to George and found his twin stood their looking amused, either by Fred’s clear sudden shyness, which was so unlike his twin brother or the fact that this small girl was currently attempting to tell them off he didn’t know. Taking pity on his floundering brother George then spoke up. 

“Don’t worry” George reassured with a cheeky smile. “We’ll make sure we brew the potion correctly before drinking it.” Giving Asherah and her brother a wink and grabbing Fred’s arm to lead him away to the common room, leaving the girl and her chuckling brother behind in the corridor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm definitely having fun writing this for myself, and hope some of you are enjoying it too. If you have any suggestions or feedback, that would be great :)


	3. The Library

Everyone always thought that the library was dead silent, and in comparison to the rest of the school, it definitely was. But if you listened closely you could hear the low murmur of students comparing essays or mumbling notes under their breath trying to commit the information to memory. The rustle of pages being turned, the scratch of a quill against parchment. The low thumping of books being put into piles or settled back onto the shelf. No, the library definitely wasn’t completely silent, it was however one of Asherah’s favourite to spend her time. 

As a fairly stereotypical Ravenclaw, when it came to studying anyways, homework was often near the forefront of her mind. The general thought among a lot of the students was due to the event of the Triwizard Tournament teachers would relax on the assignments, but unfortunately not. If anything they seemed keen to pile a few extra on top, before the selection and first task took place and all the students became truly distracted. Asherah let out a tired sigh and rubbed her eyes, it was getting late and she was losing her motivation to stay focused. She let her head roll back as she gazed on her friend Nicole who was still hunched on her work writing fervently. Ash felt a soft smile come across her face as she continued to watch her best friend. Nicole has been Asherah’s closest friend since first year, both bug eyed and scared of the new adventure ahead of them, they’d shared a smile and the boat which took them over to the castle, and once placed into the same house, that small smile turned into a fierce friendship. After a year or two of summers spent at each other houses, their parents also soon became good friends, Nicole being muggleborn had no prior Wizarding connections and as Ash was a half blood, she understood both worlds well. 

Asherah found her gaze moving on to see what was happening in the rest of library. There was maybe twelve other students that Asherah was able to see from her seat in the back of the library. Three Hufflepuff third years were clustered around a table, heads together, Ash assumed they were working on some sort of project together. On one of the benches by a rack of books sat a Slytherin alone, maybe a sixth or seventh year? Asherah wasn’t too sure. Next was a female Gryffindor and boy Ravenclaw, first years by the look of their young faces, and it looks as though the boy had a crush too, if his blazing red cheeks were anything to go by. Cute, thought Ash thought to herself. Nicole cleared her throat then which brought Asherah’s attention back to her friend. She let out a tired sigh and Nicole rolled her shoulders back with a crack, “ready to go?” she asked.

Ash nodded and replied “Only if you’re done, I’m happy to sit here with you if you want to keep going for a bit longer”

“Nah, it’s late, we can always come back tomorrow. lets go back to the dorm.’ Nodding the two started to roll up their scrolls and gather their supplies. “Did you get much of that Herbology done?” Nicole asked 

“A fair amount, yeah, but I always get so distracted by trying get the sketches to look as accurate as possible, sometimes I forget to make the notes just as detailed” Ash said whilst holding up a drawing of a Alihosty tree to the candlelight. Nicole reached to take it from her to have a closer inspection. 

“This looks great Ash. I don’t know anything about this tree, don’t think I’ve even heard of it actually” she said with a from. Nic hated not knowing about anything and everything. She had to have a little piece of information about everything she comes across, even if its just one fact. It was one of Ash’s favourite qualities about her friend. 

“Eating the leaves causes uncontrollable laughter.” Ash supplied for her. They locked eyes and smiled at each other and the mental image that was conjured in their minds. Handing the drawing back, they both resumed packing their stuff up and headed out the library. Ash pointed out the two first years as they walked by and took note of the playing footsies under the table. “Adorable” commented Nicole quietly. Ash snorted, extremely she thought to herself. 

\-----~~~-----

The next time Ash found herself in the comforts of the library was a few days later and this time she was on her own. Looking over the list she made herself earlier on during dinner time on what she’d like to complete by tonight she was satisfied she was a good portion of her way through her tasks. Asherah felt comforted by lists and the ability to cross each item off (often she added tasks she already completed just to make herself feel more productive, even if it did slightly undermine the purpose of the list). Tonight, the library seemed even more quiet than usual. She saw the same Slytherin from last time in his corner reading and a few other different students dotted about. She knew Nicole had taken tonight off studying to go watch the Ravenclaw quidditch team practice. Even though it had been cancelled this year, the team still arranged weekly meetups to drill for next year and keep up their performance. Nic insisted she was going to watch in aid of house unity and support. Ash didn’t believe a word of it but waved her off anyways. 

Turning her attention back to the work in front of her, she looked more closely at the textbook describing the antidote to common poisons. Trying to memorise the ingredients and the order in which to make it, she knew this was a popular potion to come up in the past OWL examinations. After another half an hour or so she closed the potions book, and crossed that task off her list.  
Next, Transfigurations. Her favourite subject and teacher. She wanted to do well in that subject and take it on to NEWT level next year. Feeling refreshed at getting potions out the way she hopped up to bring the textbook back to its rightful place in the library before grabbing the next book she’ll need. 

Looking down at the book in her hand she turned into the potions section of the library. Bumping shoulders with someone on her way past. “Oh, I’m sorry I wasn’t concentrating” she apologised quickly. Bright red hair and blue eyes stared back at her seemingly more startled than she had been. It was one of the Weasley twins. Odd she thought, they’re not a common visitor to the library, too quiet for them she guessed. Asherah smiled at him and went to move forward, before she heard the tall sixth year stutter something behind her. 

“I’m sorry? I didn’t quite catch that” she smiled turning her attention back to him.

“I said it was my fault… the bump” he replied. 

“Oh, no it was definitely mine, I wasn’t paying attention. I’m quite clumsy in general actually.” Ash laughed lightly. “Are you okay?” she asked, he seemed rather on edge now that she took note of him. His cheeks seemed lightly flushed and he wasn't able to keep eye contact for very long. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his red and gold tie hung loose around his throat. 

“uh I can’t find the right book; I’ve been looking for the best part of an hour now.” 

“Which one? I know this place pretty well I may be able to help” she offered immediately. 

“I’m looking for a copy of Advanced potion making, but it looks like they’ve all been loaned out.” He replied back.

“Oh, if they’re all gone from here, I’ve got a copy of it in my bag! I bought it back in the summer to read, you can borrow it if you like? Follow me.” Turning back to the shelf Asherah placed the potions textbook she had been studying earlier back in its rightful place. Swiftly making her way to the desk she’d been sitting before. She began to dig through her bag and finally pulled out a blue book. Holding it out to the tall boy who now stood uncertainly in front of her. He simply stared at it, before she waved it at him to take. 

“You’re sure?” he asked hesitantly reaching out to grasp it. 

“Yeah, just return it whenever you’re done. I was only reading it in my spare time.” 

“Thank you, you’re a life saver.” 

“I’m Ash by the way” she smiled.

“I know” he blushed fully then. “I mean I know your brother Ro” he stuttered quickly to correct himself.

“I remember from the hallway” she nodded and smiled gently at him as he continued to stare back at her. The colour slowly draining out of his cheeks back to it's original colour.

“I’m Fred.”


	4. He Laughed As He Fell

Fingers lightly traced the gold etching of the books title. Sitting on the end of his bed in his dorm, Fred continued to replay what happened in the library in his mind. He couldn’t believe after so long of just seeing her sit across the hall he had finally had a somewhat normal conversation with her. He knew how important her books were to her and the fact that she had loaned him one, tugged slightly at his heart. Gently opening the cover he saw on the first page written in ink her name etched out, Asherah Phoenix. Fred impulsively smiled. 

The door banged open making his head shoot up as he saw George enter the dorm looking around immediately for his twin. 

“Ah you found the book then. Have you looked to see what ingredients we’re going to need yet?” George asked coming over to join Fred on his bed. 

“No, not yet I’ve only just got back” Fred replied. George nodded indicating that he had heard him, and reached out to take the book from him. Fred pulled it back slightly, causing George to raise his eyebrows in mild surprise. 

“You have to be careful” Fred told George.

“What are you on about? It’s a book” 

“It’s not just a book!” George was truly confused now. His brother was acting extremely strange. 

“What?” 

“The library was out of copies, so Asherah loaned us hers” 

“Huh?” George repeated taking a minute to catch up. The mention of the dark-haired witch certainly explained Fred’s weird behaviour at least. Fred always turned slightly looney when she was the topic of conversation. 

“I didn’t realise you and Asherah were on book loaning terms?” George was certain that Fred wouldn’t have shut up about it if a situation had occurred with the girl he was obsessed over. 

“It’s a fairly new arrangement” Fred muttered back. 

George once again held his hand out for the book. This time Fred reluctantly let go of it. Flicking to the correct chapter on aging potions, looking over some of the ingredients required. Looks like Snape is going to have some ingredients mysteriously disappear from his supply cupboard this year. 

George felt Fred leaning over his shoulder to have a look at the pages. George smiled to himself 

“Want to tell me about it?” he asked. He felt Fred shrug next to him. 

“Not much to tell to be honest. She found me looking for a copy of the book when she was in the library. And just offered hers when I couldn’t find one.” Fred told him. George looked up at his twin.

“So you finally managed to talk to her then? That’s good news” 

Fred paused and then nodded. He seemed to have something on his mind. George was a bit confused to why Fred wasn’t more excited, this was the first time Fred had actually properly spoken to the girl. He’d just wait for Fred to tell him if and when he was ready. George was definitely the less pushy out of the two of them. 

“We should start gathering the stuff tonight I reckon Georgie” Fred said, snapping out of his daze at last. 

“Yep, you’re right. Let’s go pay a visit to the greasy spoons stores.”   
Together they hopped up and exited the dorm, talking excitedly about how they couldn’t wait to see the looks on everyone’s face when they passed that age line. 

\-----~~~-----

The Great Hall was now somewhere Nicole often dragged Ash to come sit in order watch people throw their names into the Goblet of Fire. Ash didn’t mind too much she was curious to see who wanted to enter and try figure out who and how the Goblet chose its champions. She did often bring a book with her though as her mind quickly wonders. She spied Hermione Granger sat on one of the lower benches closer to the age ring with a book in her hands too, clearly having similar thoughts to her own. 

Ash and Nicole watched as Cedric Diggory entered his name, and jumped into the arms of his friends afterwards. They both clapped, Nicole made a comment on how fit he was, and Ash couldn’t help but agree. The boy was a good looking one. 

Looking around Asherah watched as all three of her brothers then entered the hall. With narrowed eyes she watched as Arroyo left their sides and walked past the age line. He placed his piece of parchment into the Goblet of Fire and caught her eye as another round of applause came. She gave him a small smile. She’d given up trying to convince him not to enter. She knew she had lost the argument when she threatened to owl their mother and he just smiled back at her as if daring her to do it. He knew she wouldn’t really - her loyalty to her brother was too strong to snitch on him.

Ash murmured to Nicole how she would be right back and went to go join her brothers, who’d gathered in a small group. Callan threw his arm over her shoulders as she came to a stop next to him. And in return Ash ruffled Hurley’s hair, messing it up. Hurley scowled at her as he attempted to fix it. The Phoenix siblings all got on exceptionally well. All similar in looks and temperament. However, they were all extremely stubborn, so when a disagreement did occur, everyone was advised to steer clear of them all. Luckily this was a fairly rare situation. Ash frowned slightly as she realised that Hurley, her third-year brother, was nearly taller than her. That’s depressing she thought to herself. He was practically in a pram five minutes ago. 

A cheer rose from around the room as the two Weasley twins came running in. Each holding a potion high above their heads, high fiving people as they went by. Callan turned them both round to get a better look at the commotion. 

“Well lads we’ve done it!”

“Cooked it up just this morning” 

Ash couldn’t help but smile at their antics. 

“It’s not going to work.” Hermione said in a sing song voice. 

The twins flocked her side. “Oh yeah? Why’s that Granger?” George asked. As everyone else watched and waited for her reply. 

“You see this? This is an age line; Dumbledore drew it himself.” 

“So?” asked Fred.

“So!” Hermione exclaimed slightly exasperated, shutting her book with a thud “A genius like Dumbledore couldn’t possibly be fooled by a dodge as pathetically dim-witted as an Ageing potion” She replied, looking between the two boys. 

“Ah but that’s why it’s so brilliant” laughed Fred.

“Because it’s so pathetically dim-witted” finished off George. 

Laughing the two boys climbed the bench. 

“Ready Fred”

“Ready George” 

Ash felt Callan laughing against her side. “Bottoms up!” They said simultaneously. 

Linking arms and downing their potion. Jumping past the age line. Silence. Nothing seemed to have happened. Everyone around them started to clap and cheer, including her brothers by her side. Laughing the two boys celebrated as they successfully threw their names into the fire. Ash rose her eyebrows in surprise, she was of the same opinion Hermione was and was surprised the potion seemed to have done its job. 

Suddenly the cool blue flame turned a violent red and started to spit and shake. Ash felt Callan drag her backwards, yanking her from the reach of the spitting flames. The twins were then thrown across the room. They both now had shocking white beards and hair. Automatically the two brothers started to fight, causing a chant of “Fight, fight, fight” going around the hall. 

Ash rolled her eyes and elbowed her brothers as they also began to join in with the chant once they saw the immediate danger was over. She went to make a move back towards Nicole, before once again, she felt her elbow being grabbed and pulling her back. Looking at Callan curiously, she saw he was no longer making noise but staring across the hall. Soon everyone else joined him in his silence. 

Krum strode determinedly into the hall, his Headmaster following after him. Placing his name into the fire. All eyes then followed him at he strode right back out of the Great Hall. Asherah didn’t quite know what to make of the intimidating boy. 

\-----~~~-----

It was a Friday night when Ash found herself back in the library. She was bent over one of her books, when she heard a low clearing of a throat. Glancing up, she saw Fred Weasley stood before her. 

“Hello” she smiled at him. 

“Hi” He replied, looking slightly unsure of himself. “I came to return you book.” Looking at his hands she saw the blue textbook grasped firmly by his side. 

“Oh, I assumed you needed it for class this year…” she trailed off as she finally put it altogether. For a Ravenclaw, she took rather too long to match those pieces of information. “The aging potion” she stated rather than asked. 

“Umm yeah” Fred confirmed, now looking slightly embarrassed as he remembered her lecture to her brother about the dangers of the tournament. 

“Did you genuinely think that would’ve worked?” She asked him curious to know his actual answer. 

Fred just shrugged; all traces of grey hair long gone. “Best idea we could come up with” he supplied her. 

She gestured for him to take the seat opposite her. He seemed to debate it internally before pulling the chair out and slumping down. Placing the book into the middle of the table

“If you don’t mind me asking, why were you so keen to enter?” She asked. “Eternal glory and a massive cup?” she teased lightly. 

Fred gave a soft laugh before debating to tell her the truth or not. He wasn’t sure what she’d think of his and Georges career path. He knew he shouldn’t care what anyone thought. But she wasn’t just anyone to him. So, he went with half the truth. 

“Me and George won a bet on the Quidditch world cup back in the summer, but Bagman gave us leprechaun gold. We lost our savings as well as our winnings.” He told her. 

“Oh” that wasn’t the answer she was expecting. “That’s not right at all, I assume you’ve confronted him?”

He nodded back at her, his long hair waving around his face. The boys were stuck on how they could force the money out of Bagman. They needed it to for their shop. Even if it was just the money they’d originally put down. Ash looked off frowning thoughtfully trying to think of a solution to the boys problem. But without some sort of written contract she was unsure of how they could get their money back. Fred took this moment to admire her up close. She had long dark eyelashes, a tiny scar just on above her left cheek bone, no longer that a centimetre. Also, her ears had all sorts of different gold piercings in them. They suited her he thought to himself. They kind of reminded him of his brother Bill’s, although hers where a much daintier version. He quickly realised he was staring.

“What are you reading?” Fred asked keen to keep this conversation going. He is still unsure of how after all these years he had finally managed to get this girl to give him any sort of attention back. But he certainly didn’t want to waste this opportunity.

“Hmm? Oh, it’s the story of Icarus’s fall, have you read it?” she asked him. Fred shook his head; he hadn’t even heard of it. 

“I’m not a massive reader to be honest” he said quietly. 

She smiled back at him. “Its about a Father and son who want to escape an island, so they made these wings fashioned out of feathers and wax to fly away. But Icarus, the son, didn’t listen to his father’s advice and he flew too close to the sun. Which then melted the wax and feathers and so he fell.” Asherah explained to him excitedly, Fred watched her with a soft smile. They locked eyes over the table. 

“They say he laughed as he fell” she informed him. 

“You have to laugh to the very end” Fred told her with a grin, laughter lines creasing round his eyes. She laughed back to him returning his smile. 

“It’s probably my favourite of all the Greek Mythology stories. The full version also involves a Minotaur.” 

“Really?” asked Fred in surprise. “Isn’t it a muggle story?”

“Yeah, but they don’t believe Minotaur’s exist anymore than they believe in magic.” 

“Oh…” on occasions like this Fred could understand why his father found muggles so fascinating. Asherah then asked him about quidditch, and soon they fell into a comfortable pattern of quizzing each other on all sorts of different topics. 

\-----~~~-----

Later that night as Fred sat on his bed in a similar position to the one he was in a few days ago. But this time he was holding a new book in his hands. Fred felt like he had consumed an entire bottle of fire-whiskey with how giddy he felt. Looking down he traced the drawing on the cover of the book of the boy covered in wax and feathers, laughing as he fell from the sky. Fred was pretty convinced he was falling too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you have any feedback. Again, I hope you guys are enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it.


	5. Fun and Games

The whole castle was in a complete uproar following the announcement of the Triwizard Tournament Champions and the first task. Asherah like everyone else was at a complete utter total loss at how Harry Potter had managed to get past the age line. But Ash didn’t agree with all the hate the boy seemed to be getting, he was only fourteen years old. 

Nicole however was beyond excited about Cedric Diggory being selected. She even went as far to charm her scarf from the Ravenclaws colours to the Hufflepuffs gold for the first task. Dragons. It had been brutal and none of the contestants came at without at least a scratch on them. Asherah found the whole thing hard to watch, and thanked Merlin for the hundredth time her own brother hadn’t been selected. She don’t think her nerves would’ve been able to stand it. 

\-----~~~------

It was Saturday breakfast time, and the two friends had their fill of food and were trying to decide how to spend the rest of the day. They couldn’t go to Hogsmead for another week yet, so that wasn’t an option. 

While trying to think of something to pass the time Ash’s three brothers whom Nicole knew well having spent a lot of her summers at the Phoenix’s household, suddenly joined them at the table.  
And that is how Nicole had ended up watching the four siblings from the side-lines battle out who had to do the extremely delicate and important task of owling their Mother and Father, telling them they wouldn’t be home for Christmas this year due to the Yule Ball. 

Hurley cleared his throat noisily. “Well, I think it ought to be Ash, cause she’s the only girl.” His answer was met with some nods from the other two boys. 

“Hang on a second, I reckon it should be Ro, it’s his last year at Hogwarts, so he could tell them how he has to enjoy every last moment he has left here” Ash looked triumphant at her argument. 

“Actually, it should be Callan, everyone knows he’s Mum’s favourite despite what she says” Arroyo retorted, earning some mutters of agreement from Ash and Hurley. 

“Uh no, if you really think about it, it ought to be Hurls, everyone knows the youngest always get told yes to whatever they want”

Hurley then opened his mouth for his retort. Nicole rolled her eyes from the side. She was fully aware this could go on for bloody ages, they were all as smart and as stubborn as each other.

Letting, her eyes wonder around the rest of the room she tuned the sound of the squabbling siblings out. Looking down the table she was currently seated at she saw some Ravenclaws further down still eating their breakfast while a few other students had got their work out and were reading or scribbling down some notes. letting out a slow sigh she moved onto the next table. 

Over at the Hufflepuffs table they had a fair amount of students present, some still eating, others just in groups chatting and laughing away. She spotted Cedric Diggory on the end of the table, Merlin he’s beautiful Nicole thought to herself, if anything the new addition of cuts and burns added to his appeal in her eyes. Seeing him made her wonder what the second task would involve, the first task had been tough enough. Her eyes soon moved on. 

The Gryffindor table was fairly occupied too, all laughing and chatting away. Nicole spied the Weasley family and Potter in the center of the table, Harry looked battered but was grinning widely. They all seemed to be laughing at their younger brother Ron as he held up some sort of brown looking material. They must be his dress robes she thought to herself, poor lad. She laughed quietly in her head, they appeared rather outdated.  
Nicole then turned her attention on the twins. She had heard from Asherah about the encounters with the one called Fred and wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it. It seemed very random. Looking at the two she tried to work out which one was which. Ash seemed excited to have made a new friend to recommend her books to, but Nicole wasn’t as easily swayed. Not once throughout all the shared years at Hogwarts had she seen either of the red heads pick up a book. Or really give a damn about school in general. Its not that she didn’t trust the situation. She just found it odd.

One of the twins then seemed to look directly at her. This momentarily startled Nicole until she realised his gaze was slightly to the right of her head. He was looking at Ash, not her. That one must be Fred then. 

She looked him over trying to figure out any distinction between the two brothers. His hair was slightly curlier perhaps? No, maybe not. Did he have a slightly more tanned complexion? Nope, they looked exactly the same to her. She wasn’t sure if he just felt her analytical gaze on him or if it was something else, but he did then turn his head to meet her gaze this time. He knew she had caught him staring. Turning abruptly away back to the conversation at his own table. Nicole continued to inspect him. Very interesting indeed she thought. 

A tap on her arm brought Nicole out of her thoughts and she met her best friends eyes. Nicole could understand why Fred was staring at her friend, she was a natural beauty and nearly always smiling, and terribly friendly to everyone. Nicole sometimes thought she was too kind, she would hate to see that genuine warmth and kindness be taken advantage of. She adored Ash and wouldn’t hesitate to get into all sorts of trouble if it meant helping or protecting her friend. 

“Have you guys finished your argument yet?” Nicole asked. Asherah rolled her eyes. 

“Nope not even close, but we have paused it for now. We want to go flying and play some games and stuff outside while there’s still daylight, do you wanna join?” Ash invited. “Me and you can do something else if you prefer? I’m not fussed” Ash quickly offered too. 

Nicole smiled, things like that showed Ash kindness, she always gave people options if they weren’t comfortable. “No that sounds like fun, I’ll have to change though” she replied. 

“Yeah me too! Let’s go!” Ash hopped up downing her orange juice. “We’ll meet you guys outside in like twenty minutes, okay?” she told her brothers, who all nodded back to her.  
Linking arms with Nicole, they walked back to the Ravenclaw tower to change their clothes. 

\-----~~~----- 

Asherah was a pretty decent flyer, her and her brothers often did it in the summer to pass time. But Arroyo was definitely the most natural flyer of them all. He loved his position as beater on the quidditch team. Currently Arroyo and Hurley were racing around the pitch laughing while Callan helped Nicole onto the broom. Ash hovered a feet or two above the ground waiting for the two of them. From past experience Asherah knew that once Nicole was on the broom and done a lap or two cautiously, she’d be absolutely fine. But for the first few minutes, she liked to have someone close by to settle her nerves. 

Callan held her arm as she got comfortable, and Ash noticed the slight blush rise to her friends cheeks. Ash supposed it could be down to the chilly breeze or nerves. But somehow she doubted it. Interesting Ash thought to herself. She’d have to keep an eye on that one.  
Nicole and Callan soon joined her up in the air and they started off slow around the pitch, and before long Nicole gained more speed and confidence as Ash knew she would. 

All five of them soon got into the rhythm of flying with each other and the games soon began. They had races from one side of the pitch to the other. A version of the muggle game tag, which involved far too many dangerous swings and dives to keep from being touched. It did cause an awful amount of hysterical laughter from everyone, their breath could be seen coming out in big puffs of air around each of them. Callan keen to get away from being tagged nearly crashed right into the stands.

It was several hours later when everyone was beginning to wind down, slowly running out of the initial energy they had, having had their fill of the fresh air. The three boys were batting a bludger between them. Ash knew that Hurley had his heart set on one day replacing his big brother as a beater for the quidditch team. Arroyo was currently teaching him all the tricks in his book to the younger lad.

Ash turned back to her conversation with Nicole, the two girls were gently tossing a quaffle between them, as they chatted away and making plans to go visit that muggle amusement park during the summer next year. 

Just as she caught the quaffle between her two hands, Ash heard a loud cry come from Callan yelling at her to watch out. By the time Ash had swung her head around towards the boys. She saw the bludger hurtling straight towards her face. In her panic she dropped the ball and grasped the handle of her broom, but she was too slow at manoeuvring her broom out of the way, and too slow at getting her hands up too protect her face. 

An almighty crack went through the air as the ball made contact with the side of her face. The force knocked the girl from her broom as she let out a cry. Luckily, she had only been hovering a few feet above the air so her landing was fairly gentle considering things. The breath was knocked out of her as she lay on the ground in complete shock.  
She heard a lot of noise as the others all rushed to her side. A pair of strong hands dragged her own hands away from her head where she’d been clutching it in pain. She groaned as she heard Arroyo above her, talking to her in concern. She couldn’t concentrate on a word the boy said however, breathing through the throbbing pain of her skull. 

“Ash!” he shouted at her. 

She groaned in response. 

“Can you open your eyes?” Ro asked more gently now that he had her attention. Slowly she began to open her eyes. Her left one snapped shut in a throbbing protest. But she managed to peel the right one open. Blinking blearily, she peered up at the concerned faces above her.  
Arroyos face came closer to her, examining her face. Slowly after a minute or so, she managed to prise the other eye open too. Ash felt a cracking headache come on almost immediately. She groaned again, clenching her eyes shut once more. It suddenly seemed extremely bright outside. 

“Who ever hit that bludger is sending the letter to Mum and Dad” Ash muttered darkly. 

Arroyo and the others let out a huff of laughter. Their sister was clearly fine, just a bit bruised up and in shock.

“I’m so, so sorry Ash” she heard Hurley’s voice say shakily from above her. 

“It was an accident Hurl, don’t worry” She replied, she didn’t like the sound of her baby brothers wobbly voice. Clearly feeling filled with guilt at having injured his sister.

“Common let’s go get you checked out.” Arroyo said. Two strong arms heaved her up as gently as they could. “Can you walk okay?” 

Asherah began to nod before a shooting pain shot through her skull. Grasping her head in one hand she took a tentative step forward. Arroyo stayed by her side holding her up by her arm. Nicole quickly came to her other side wrapping an arm around her waist. 

She heard Arroyo telling the other two boys to clear up the equipment they had out. As they slowly made their way back to the castle.


	6. The Staring Contest

The last few weeks had been amazing in Fred’s eyes, ever since that night in the library, whenever he walked down the corridor and spotted Ash, she smiled at him. Or in the great hall if she looked up and met his gaze she would give a small wave. Fred was absolutely ecstatic with himself. 

On evenings he was feeling brave he would go search her out in the library. If she was on her own he’d go join her, sometimes they’d chat like they had that first night sometimes she just continued to do her work after she acknowledged him. But if her friend was there, he settled for an acknowledgement, her friend followed him with an intense stare that made him mildly uncomfortable. He wasn’t quite ready to sit with them while she looked so intensely at him.

Once to George’s amazement he walked into the library assuming that’s where he would find his brother, he swore he saw Fred doing homework. As George neared though he realised that Fred was just working on one of their products. The world hadn’t gone completely mad. That was the first time George properly met and spoke to the girl who had manage to completely entice his brother.

And he had to admit he could see why Fred was so obsessed by her. She was sweet and thoughtful with a gentle wit that drew you in. Incredibly smart and always quick to laugh. Her large hazel eyes and thick eyelashes sat prettily in her face and could cause you to stare without really meaning to. George definitely saw the appeal. 

But she was so unbelievably different to his brother. Fred was so impulsive and brash, whereas Ash thought her words and actions over before doing anything. Fred’s creativeness was shown in full comparison against her more logical assent on the world. but perhaps it was those opposites that drew Fred in so much. George didn’t know and doubted he would ever fully understand. But seeing how elated and different his normally more careless twin was around her, George couldn’t help but be pleased for him. 

However. Currently, George felt his previous good will to his brother’s new situation slipping.

Fred scanned the Ravenclaw table for what seemed like the hundredth time since he sat down. He turned to George. “She’s not here” George sighed in exasperation. He had been hearing that same sentence since yesterday afternoon. Looking up at him he turned his attention to the Ravenclaw table himself, scanning the table before he confirmed what Fred already told him. 

“No, it doesn’t seem like it” George replied. “Maybe she slept in?” he reasoned. 

“No, I last saw her Saturday at breakfast time. She wasn’t at lunch or dinner either that night. It’s now Sunday afternoon! It doesn’t make any sense.” Fred whined rather anxiously. 

George stared at his brother. 

“Stop looking at me like that!” Fred snapped rather testily. 

“Stop sounding like a complete psychopath” George retorted back. “Go ask that girl she always hangs around? Or one of her brothers, they’re all over there”. He suggested knowing full well his advice would be ignored. 

“I can’t do that, we’re not that close, it would be weird” Fred huffed grumpily. 

He knew he was being difficult, but he couldn’t help it. He felt edgy. The fact that those lot were all currently present was another concern of his. Where could she possibly be? Did she have a family emergency? No, her brothers were all here.

Maybe she was sick in bed? Seemed the most logical answer. Maybe he should check the hospital wing in case something had happened? He nodded to himself, he might as well check just to see. It wasn’t like sitting here twiddling his thumbs was making him feel any better. Explaining to George where he was going, he was waved off. Clearly his brother was glad to be rid of his moaning for a while. 

Fred got up from the table, he straightened his maroon jumper with the gold ‘F’ knitted into it. Walking out of the great hall he took a left and headed to the hospital wing. Even though he was concerned about Asherah’s where abouts, he hoped he wouldn’t find her there. And that nothing had befallen her. 

As he came around one of the final corners, a small figure walked right into his. His quick reflexes caught the girl by her shoulders and yanked her up straight against him stopping her from falling. 

“Oh” a small gasp, came from the body of the girl, while small hands grabbed his waist in order to steady herself from the sudden impact. Large, startled eyes blinked owlishly up at him. Fred felt himself swallow thickly. Asherah. All and any thoughts left Fred’s head. Her face was so close to his. He could count every single one of her freckles. The flecks of green in her beautiful hazel eyes. His eyes automatically fell to her lips. They were still slightly parted from the shock of colliding with him. He couldn’t help but stare at them. She was so tantalisingly close; he felt her breath on his face. She blinked once again, before beginning to pull away from him slowly the shock wearing off. Fred however tightened his grip on her arms, tugging her gently back towards him again. Asherah looked at him in confusion but his eyes were now focused on something else. They looked dark, serious, and intense. 

Fred voice was rough as he stared at her. “Who did that to your face?” he asked voice dangerously low. Asherah once again just blinked up at the boy who towered above her. She was still in shock from running into him so suddenly. She could feel his gaze burning a hole into her face, she felt the breath leave her body from the way he was looking at her. Fred stared at the dark purple and blue bruising that marred her cheek and shadowed her eye. He felt a deep fury pool into his stomach. He would single-handedly dismember whoever was responsible for this. Slowly and as painfully as possible. His fingers squeezed her arms as gently as he could manage considering the rage that was quickly brewing inside him, to encourage an answer out of her. But all Asherah could do was stare back at his intense gaze and this time her eyes dropped to his lips. Her throat suddenly felt dry. Fred repeated his question. 

Shaking her head slightly in order to clear the sudden daze she felt herself in. She tried to get her brain working again. “Umm it was an accident” she finally managed to force out. Her throat still felt tight. Licking her lips, she continued “A bludger caught me, but I’m fine now.” She reassured him. He still had a tight grip on her arms, and she could feel the strength in them as well as his solid body which he held her so close to. 

He let go of one of her arms and slowly moved his hand up cautiously to her face. Staring intently the whole time. When she didn’t pull back, he gently traced the outline of the bruising, his fingertips barely touching her. She felt her breath get caught in her body again. She didn’t dare move an inch. She stared into his eyes as he bent down closer to get a better look. She’d never seen them look so intense. She felt his other hand move from her shoulder and fingers gently slide over her jaw tilting her face upwards as he continued examining her face. One of his fingers now lightly traced the shape of her eyebrow. His eyes then moved away from her bruise too meet hers. She saw him swallow thickly and felt herself do the same. She held her breath as he slowly leaned in even closer to her. His eyes moved to her lips, her own eyes widening a fraction, as he closed his. He was less than an inch away from her, when she followed him in closing her eyes, leaning up to feel the press of his lips against hers. 

When a throat cleared noisily; the pair leaped apart as if they had boiling water thrown over them. The moment completely and utterly shattered. Callan stood there, arms crossed, and eyes narrowed at his fellow classmate. Asherah felt like her face was on fire; her whole body seemed hot suddenly. She couldn’t bring herself to look at either Fred or her brother as she tried to desperately slow her heart rate down.

The two sixth year boys were currently having an extremely intense staring contest. Neither saying a word. Fred's face had been completely red in his embarrassment of being caught, but now that he had settled his nerves all he felt was annoyance at the other boy for interrupting them so abruptly. 

Callan looked away first towards his sister. “I came to see if you had left the hospital wing yet” he explained to her. She nodded quickly indicating she heard him but still refused to meet his eyes. “Hurley has made a picnic up in the common room tower, in order to make up for what happened yesterday” Callan continued. 

Asherah finally got enough control of herself to look back at her brother. “That isn’t necessary, it was a complete accident” she said quietly, her heart tightening at her little brothers thoughtfulness. She sneaked a glance at Fred’s form, but his expression showed nothing to what he was thinking, he was stood frowning at her brother standing in front of them. 

“I know” Callan said. Ash’s attention snapped back to her brother. “But it’s to help ease some of the guilt he’s feeling." 

He then returned his attention back to Fred, looking him up and down slowly. In Fred’s defence he didn’t move a muscle under the scrutiny he was receiving, Ash didn’t think she could handle such a severe gaze. Moving to get the attention of her brother back on her rather than Fred. Ash walked over to Callan, grasping his hand. “Come on, lets go then” she said. 

But Callan stayed routed to his spot and continued his staring match with Fred. After a second pleading tug on his hand from his sister he finally moved. “Weasley” Callan said coldly. Abruptly turning on the spot he grasped his sister’s hand and led her down the corridor as she stumbled to keep up with his quick, long strides. Ash turned her head to look back at Fred who was following her with his eyes as she walked away. She offered him a soft smile which he returned. Before she felt her brother squeeze her hand, and she turned her attention back to where they were going. Her heart rate still going a hundred miles per hour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are finally starting to move forward! please give me any comments you have! Was on a bit of a roll tonight, which is why there's two updates so close together. again all comments are welcome. do you like the feature of the OC brothers? or would you like to see more of the already existing characters? do you prefer Ash's POV or Freds? or other characters? as youve probably noticed i like to switch it up, but if theres a preference let me know and ill work on that. hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, this is one of my fav moments so far :)


	7. Sandcastles

“Weasley” 

Both George and Fred turned to the voice who called out. Fred had been waiting this moment and was mildly surprised it had taken so long to come about.  
“Phoenix” Fred responded “What can I do for you?”

“I’d like a word…” Callan trailed off, looking stern, “Alone.” He said pointedly at George. 

George looked over his fellow dark haired sixth year , before turning and clapping Fred on the shoulder in encouragement and luck as he left the two boys alone. 

Looking over his shoulder Fred watched as George rounded the corner, before turning back to the boy in front of him. From what Fred had gleaned over the years, Ash and Callan were probably the most different of all the siblings, and looking at him now, bar the physical resemblance nothing else reminded Fred of Ash in this boy. But they were closest in age. 

“I assume you’ve got a good idea about why I wanted to speak to you?”

Fred stiffened at his tone immediately. He didn’t appreciate being spoken to like an imbecile.  
“No idea, so if you could please use small words when explaining, I’m not as bright as you” Fred sarcastically bit back. 

Callan narrowed his eyes, “Stay away from my sister” he cut straight to the point. 

Fred simply raised his eyebrow “No” he said simply, he'd been prepared for this.

Callan took a step closer; he was only an inch or two shorter than Fred.

“What interest is she to you anyway?”

This question appeared to make the red head uncomfortable. Good thought Callan, he deserved to be made uncomfortable. 

Fred stared back at the boy unsure of how to answer that question. He opened his mouth to reply, when the dark-haired boy ploughed on. 

“It doesn’t actually matter what your current interests involve. They end here.”

Fred went to retort again, when once more he was cut off by the other boy.

“We both know she’s far too good for you!” Callan said harshly, filled with brotherly protection. “So do me a favour and make sure what I interrupted the other week was a complete one off and keep your distance.” He then brushed past Fred purposely bumping his shoulder. 

Fred whipped round. “Doesn’t your sister get a say in all this?”

Callan slowed his pace and came to a stop before glaring back over his shoulder. “I mean it Weasley. Stay away” turning back, he stalked out of sight. 

\------~~~------

Groaning, Fred slumped onto the table as everyone else chattered on. This wasn't fair anymore. He felt like he completely screwed everything up and all because he was Fred Weasley and he didn't have the ability to stop and think before he did something, he had to run into every situation completely confident and self-assured.

"What's wrong with him" Ron asked mouth and hand full of chicken as he gestured vaguely to Fred's form.

"He's in love" laughed George. 

Fred turner his head to glare at his brother. It had been a week since the incident in the hallway and it had felt like an eternity. 

“What?” Ron asked bits of chicken sprayed out his mouth as Hermione shuffled out of the firing line a look of disgust on her face. “With who?”

“Asherah Phoenix” a voice came from slightly further down the table. Ginny was met with wide staring eyes. 

“How the hell do you know that?” Fred asked completely baffled. The only people who knew of Fred’s obsession was George and Lee. He turned to glare at the two traitors, but both held up their hands in defense. Looking as baffled as he felt at Ginny knowing this information. 

“Oh please” Ginny rolled her eyes. “You stare at her every opportunity you get. You’re not the most subtle of people Fred.” 

The whole group continued to stare at her. Honestly, every single one of them were totally oblivious. 

“Which one is she Ginny?” Harry asked, looking around the Great Hall as if this mysterious girl would jump up randomly and start pointing herself out. 

“She’s a Ravenclaw in the year above us I believe” Hermione informed him, looking over at the table to help try spot her. 

“A Ravenclaw? Really Fred?” Ron asked. 

“What’s wrong with that you git?” Fred snapped back at his younger brother, ever since his encounter with Callan, he’d been particularly testy. 

“They’re nothing alike if that’s what you’re getting at Ron” George quickly jumped in eyeing his twin from the side. He was as sensitive as a Doxy fairy when it came to that girl and Ron very nearly blindly walked into the firing line.

“There you see her?” Hermione asked. “Dark hair sat across from the blonde. Has two boys sat either side of her, they are her brothers” Hermione proceeded to describe. Fred felt his eyes rising with everyone else’s to look at her. 

She was laughing at something someone had said, further down the table as she leaned past her oldest brother to reply to them, causing the other boy, one Fred didn’t recognise to laugh back, he felt his eyes narrow in irrational jealously. “She’s the one who just passed a copy of the daily profit to someone” Hermione elaborated, when Harry was clearly still struggling to locate her. Fred watched Ash fold the paper that was sitting beside her and hand it to the boy before turning back to her plate. 

“Oh yeah I see her” Harry said at last looking her over. But his attention was then brought to one of the boys sitting next to her. Turning back to the others he asked; “Why does the lad next to her look like his ready to slice you open?”

Harry turned to Fred, who proceeded to glare grumpily back at the other boy. 

“He caught Fred attempting to feel up his sister in the corridor last week” George suddenly piped up looking elated at all the drama that unfolded before him. 

“George! I’m going to kill you!”

Harry spat his pumpkin juice everywhere. Hermione blushed as though she had been the one caught. Ginny, Lee and George laughed in hysterics and Ron stared at Fred, mouth hanging open. Groaning Fred dropped to the table again once more. 

“It was not like that!” Fred muttered darkly. Under normal circumstances Fred thrived off embarrassment of any kind. If anything, he welcomed it, but this was pushing it even for him.

And the thing that was making him most frustrated and irritable, was every time Fred attempted to approach Ash in the corridor, that bloody brother of hers popped right up to steer her away. He had no clue how Callan knew the wear abouts of his sister 24/7 but he was making it increasingly difficult for Fred to even talk to Ash now. Ash would just roll her eyes at her brothers’ antics but otherwise didn’t see to fight him. 

Fred was unbelievably fed up with the whole situation. Just when he was finally making progress with the girl he’s been set on for years. He was being undermined by her slimy git of a brother. 

\------~~~------

“Hey” a voice called. 

On a rare occasion Fred was caught by surprise as his eyes snapped up. His attention pulled away from breaking a stick into small pieces. He and George had skipped their classes that afternoon in order to be outside and work on some of their projects. George had announced he was hungry so gone off to the kitchens to get food while Fred waited by the lake. 

Looking up Fred drank in the figure standing in front of him. She was wearing tight trousers and her shirt was pulled out, sleeves rolled up and top shirt buttons undone and blue and silver tie loose around her neck. Hair pulled into a low bun a few loose curls managed to escape their confines throughout the course of the day. Overall, Fred thought she looked divine. 

He scrambled quickly to his feet, shirt also pulled free with a loose tie dangling around his neck too. It had been just under two weeks now since he’d spoken to Ash. He went to scratch his neck awkwardly “Hi” he finally replied. 

“How are you?” she asked, he then eyed the bruise that had faded to an ugly shade of light green and yellow. It would be gone over the next few days. 

He gave her a tight smile “Fine thanks” He felt extremely awkward and like he was walking on egg-shells. He had absolutely no idea what she was thinking. And he felt caught off guard. It was always him that sort her out. Not that he’d been given any opportunity Fred thought grumpily to himself, automatically looking around to see if he could spot Callan hiding behind a tree. 

“That’s good” his attention snapped back to the girl. “I wanted to apologise.” Ash said. “For a few things actually. First of all, for my brother’s behaviour recently. He still thinks of me as eleven and wants to keep me wrapped up in bubble wrap for the rest of my life”

Fred smiled tightly back, having no idea what bubble-wrap was. Or why she was apologising. 

“Also, for that day in the corridor, that situation was my completely my fault and once again I think you caught the brunt end of it.”

Fred was extremely confused; he had no idea how she came to that conclusion. 

“None of it was your fault Ash” he told her immediately. “I have younger siblings I know how protective you can feel about them” If a boy in the year above Ginny made a move on her, he thinks he would’ve acted more irrationally than the verbal warning Callan had given him. 

“Still” she continued, “He’s my brother and even though he’s in Ravenclaw, he’s currently behaving like a plonker. I’ve spoken to him and he shouldn’t be bothering you anymore”

Fred let out a startled laugh, “Your brother doesn’t frighten me” he told her. 

“He should” She teased him. “Once when we were six and seven, he found out that the boy next door had pushed me over and stamped on my sandcastle. So, he went into the sea with his bucket and collected all the seaweed, crabs and jellyfish he could find. Later on when he saw the next-door neighbour boy sitting in my ruined sandcastle pile, he dumped the lot over his head. Callan to this day claims he didn’t know jellyfish can give a nasty sting, and that crabs pinches could hurt so much. A bold claim for someone who spent their life growing up next to the sea” she finished off. 

Fred huffed in amusement at her childhood story. It would take more than a few snappy sea life marine to scare him off, but he obviously wasn’t going to tell her that.

“I’m a Weasley” he informed her like that was some kind of top tier revelation. Ash just quirked an eyebrow in amusement at him. He was going to need to elaborate that point. “He’ll need to do better than that.” 

Ash then took this opportunity to really look Fred over. She found herself already feeling quite fond of the cheeky popular red headed twin, despite not knowing him well for long. She liked it when he randomly sat down with her in the library or waved at her from across the hall. Her thoughts then flashed to the moment in the corridor which had spiked her brothers prickliness in the first place. Their faces had been so close together as he’d held her. She'd felt his bubbling anger at the sight of her injured. Ash had written it off as being caught up in a moment. She neither regretted it nor tried to over analysis it. She had no clue as to what Fred appeared to be thinking half the time so she just preferring to leave it alone as it was, a simple moment. 

“Ah well...” Ash said to Fred dramatically “You haven’t heard about the time when I was eight and Callan was nine and a girl told me I wasn’t invited to her sleepover because my dress wasn’t pretty enough.”

Fred grinned openly at her now. 

“This one will strike fear into your heart, Weasley” she warned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback, advice or comments would be greatly appreciated! Again I hope you liked this one. It took a while to try find a flow I was happy enough with in this chapter.


	8. Ocean Names

Ever since Asherah came to find Fred, he felt a change in their relationship. He was pretty certain that they had now officially become friends. He didn’t feel awkward about going up to her randomly throughout the day, whether she was on her own or not. He felt like he could be normal Fred around her, and not some blushing stumbling boy. But despite the reassurance she’d given about her brother. Fred and George both often felt the glare of the other boy during their shared classes or in the hallway. It was no secret, he was not happy about this new found friendship. But Fred couldn’t care less.

He looked to his left seeing her pouring over some sort of potions essay. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail at the top of her head which she tugged at the end of every time she had to stop and think about what to write next. She saw her chew lightly on the top if her quill as she read back what she had just wrote. Looking to her right she saw him watching her.

“You okay?” she asked him.

He nodded, he was trying to get the formula right for one of their new products and he thinks he’s got the right quantities for their ‘fainting fancies’ but without trialing it, he wouldn’t know for sure. He was now working on a new idea that he’d thought of a few weeks ago but was struggling on how to get it to function properly. George was more talented at getting the finer details correct.

“What are you working on?” Ash then leaned over his shoulder to look at his parchment, trying to make sense of the random notes and drawings that covered the parchment. She turned her head, there were so many notes, she didn’t know where to look first. Fred felt himself breathe deeply in, as she leaned over him to get a proper look, he was filled with her scent. A rich coco-butter and vanilla scent filled his nose, with a hint of something more floral. It was a deep rich scent and he felt it wedging itself in his memory. Freezing and holding his breath as Ash leaned over further to pull the parchment closer to her, Fred suddenly felt her breasts being pushed against his arm and shoulder momentarily before she pulled back, parchment in hand. His mind went blank.

He let out a slow breath trying to cool his quickly heating blood and cheeks. He was reacting like this was the first time he’d noticed the form of a female. So much for no longer blushing like a schoolgirl, he mentally rolled his eyes at himself and told himself to get a grip.

“That’s just a new idea I’ve been working on. I’m not sure if it’ll even work yet. Still haven’t figured out all the details”

Ash hummed in reply, flicking through the sheets of various ideas, before pausing to pick up a smaller piece of parchment that fell away. Picking it up she examined the crude drawing.

“What’s this one” she asked. The drawing was of a figure with wings behind him. Fred looked it over blushing mildly when he saw which one she pointing at.

“Oh… that’s one of the ones that’s half complete. When you eat the fudge, you should grow some wings, and be able to fly about two feet in the air. The more direct sunlight you’re in the longer it should last”. He explained. They were currently having trouble getting the wings to automatically adjust to the right size of the consumer. Fred had grown tiny little wings the size of a pixies on one attempt, and George grew wings the size of two double decker buses on another. It was quite a comical sight watching the wings grow until they were cramped into the boys dormitory, neither of them were able to move for quite some time. Lee complained he was still finding feathers in every fold of his clothes.

Asherah’s mouth formed the shape of an ‘o’ in wonder at the image conjured in her mind. “Amazing” she breathed “Like an angel. You and George are both so clever to make these ideas actually work” she said in wonder. They were smart enough for her own house she reckoned.

Fred shrugged, “A lot of them are just half-baked ideas at the moment.” He didn’t bother correcting her, by telling her the inspiration had actually come from the story she’d told him about Icarus.

She shook her head, “No, you guys are so talented. You should be proud of all this” she told him firmly, passing his notes back to him. Turning her attention back to her own essay. Fred continued to admire her from the side. Not many people encouraged Fred and Georges inventions, many putting it down to childish fantasies, their Mother included.

“Ash” he found himself saying.

She stopped her writing and looked up at him waiting for him to continue.

“Um, I was just wondering um-” Fred stopped there, not entirely sure what he wanted to ask her. she stared back at him with those large hazel eyes waiting patiently.

“Uh… I was just wondering…” he repeated, she quirked an eyebrow at him. He felt himself swallow “What does your name mean?” Well that definitely wasn’t what he was meaning to ask her. Images of her in a dress and himself stood by her in dress robes flashed in his mind. Bollocks. He didn’t have the nerve in this moment to ask her.

“Oh” she said startled at the random question. “Well I’m actually not certain to be honest, but I know it loosely means ‘she who treads water’ my mum is obsessed by the ocean/water and pirates in general” she explained. “All of us have themed names around that obsession, Arroyo is like meant to be a kind of creek. I think it translated to ‘Brook’ but I’m not entirely certain. I know Callan was named after the river my mother grew up next to in Ireland, before she moved over here and Hurley’s original meaning translates to ‘sea-tide’.”

Fred nodded, he never realised all of the names were connected that way. Him and George had been given versions of the names of their uncles, who fought and died in the First Wizarding War.

“My mum is mildly eccentric” Ash smiled in embarrassment.

Fred huffed “You should meet mine” with a fond smile and roll of eyes.

“Are you close to your family?” Ash asked putting her quill fully down now turning to face him. He had successfully distracted her.

“Yeah, we are all close. But it has always been me and George. My family is rather large if you haven’t noticed. Sometimes its hard having everyone so on top of each other. And mum is professional nagger.” Fred told her with a small smile.

“Yeah, having lots of siblings can be exhausting. But I think I would hate to be an only child more” Ash said.

Fred automatically nodded in agreement. He couldn’t imagine not having his siblings there. Especially George, he’d shared more or less every single moment of his life with his other half.

“Do you want kids?” he flushed as that question automatically left his lips, that was too personal.

She smiled when his cheeks flared suddenly, and he lost the ability to maintain eye contact. Ash still found herself shocked every time Fred blushed. All her school life she’d heard stories of the twin’s crazy pranks – walking into one or two of them herself. And their outrageous confidence and wit. But here Fred Weasley sat blushing prettily far more readily that she would’ve expected, and he was supposedly meant to be the more brash of the two. She wondered if that just how he was when he was one on one, without George to back him up.

“I don’t really know to be honest Fred, I think I’d either want a fairly big family or none at all. Like I said I would hate to be an only child myself. I’m also not convinced I’d be a great mum” Ash replied. “What about you?”

“Oh, I couldn’t imagine not having a family” he smiled at her, finally able to look her in the eye again, “It would be against Weasley nature”.

Smiling Ash turned back to her potions work once more, determined to get it done, before her attention was pulled away again.

\----~~~-----

It was two days later when Fred found himself back in the library once again. He’d visited the library more this past month than all of his other years combined. But tonight, he had one specific task in mind. He wanted to ask Ash to be his Yule ball date. He had been pondering whether this was a good idea, or if he needed to give Ash more time to get to know him. But the more Fred thought about it the more he knew that she was the only person he genuinely wanted to go with.

Walking into the library with an air of confidence he was well known for he started out his search for Ash. Heading to her usually table at the back of the room, he saw her bag but not her. she must be looking for a book he thought to himself. Scanning each isle as he walked through the library.

There she was reading the blurb of a book deep within the Herbology section. Starting towards her, she looked up at him when he came to a stop by his side.

“Oh, Hi Fred, wasn’t expecting you to come back so soon” she smiled at him, before placing the book she had been observing back on the shelf. That one wasn’t going to be specific enough for her homework assignment.

“I was actually looking for you.” Fred replied looking down at her. he realised how small she was compared to him, while standing this close. Her head only came up to his shoulder, so she had to lean back in order to see his face properly.

“Oh really? What’s up?” she asked turning her attention back to the rows of books in front of her. when he stayed silent. She turned to look at him leaning back against the bookshelf, ankles crossed over one another.

Watching him leaning against the bookshelf opposite her, he copied her movements.

“Well I was wondering if you would like to go to the Yule Ball with me?” Fred asked confidently.

Asherah blinked for a second, registering what he had said. “Oh” she breathed out.

Fred began to shuffle under her continuous gaze waiting for her reply. The more she stared at him the more he began to squirm.

“Oh Fred, I’m really sorry but someone asked me yesterday. And, well, I agreed to go with him.” Asherah felt like complete crap watching Fred’s face drop. She had no idea, he was planning to ask her.

“Oh- oh that’s okay” Fred felt his heart and face drop. “I didn’t realise you had already been asked.”

“Yeah, I’m really sorry, I would’ve said yes, but yeah…” Ash trailed off unsure of what to say to him.

“Do you mind me asking who you’re going with?” Fred knew he probably shouldn’t ask, but he didn’t care, he wanted to know who had beaten him to the punch. If he had followed through and asked her the other day in the library, he would’ve got there first, he realised painfully.

“Marley Range? I don’t know if you know him, he’s a seventh year Slytherin” she replied quickly.

Asherah was genuinely extremely taken aback when the boy came up to her.

_Ash was just walking back from her Muggle Studies class - she was on her own as this was one of the rare classes that Nicole and her don’t share together. When she felt someone grab her arm gently to get her attention. It took a moment to place who the boy was, taking in his green eyes, dark skin and curly hair, before realising that he was the fellow Slytherin she often saw sitting in the library. She smiled at him a little unsurely as they’d never spoken properly before._

_“Hi” he said. She returned his greeting, glancing round the corridor, as if that would provide extra information._

_“I’m Marley” he said quickly, a blush rising to his dark skin._

_“Ash” she said, holding out her hand, which he took quickly._

_“I was wondering, if you haven’t already got a date, if you would go to the Yule ball with me?” Marley hurried to get out. Asherah was completely stunned, she barely knew this boy and yet here he was standing in the corridor asking her to go with him._

_“Oh, yeah alright, I’d love to” she found herself agreeing to him. Getting a date to the Yule Ball was all anyone was taking about this week. And she probably hadn’t given it as much thought as she should have and Marley seemed nice, and she assumed given the amount of time he spends in the library they’d have a bit in common._

_He gave a relieved sigh at her reply before grinning down at her “Great! That’s great! Can I walk you back to your common room?” he asked, moving to take her books from her arms._

_“Oh yeah sure” Ash mumbled after him. He then started asking her questions about herself and telling her about his interest. She simply smiled back at him a bit dazed about what had just happened._

Looking back over at Fred now, she felt a sting of regret at having said yes to Marley already. “Again I’m really sorry Fred” she told him. And she meant it.

He pulled a grin on his face “No worries.” He said in a fake cheery voice. Asherah once more felt a twinge of guilt.

“I can promise you a dance?” she offered quickly. Before second guessing if that would actually make him feel better.

Fred looked back at her “Promise me two and I’ll forgive you” he teased lightly back.

She smiled in relief at him not being annoyed at her.

“Two it is” she promised him, a pull at her heart, as she saw him return her smile with a tight one.


	9. Mistaken for a Hufflepuff

Although, Asherah acknowledged things had grown mildly awkward between herself and one half of the Weasley twins over the next few days. She had a bigger problem to deal with currently. That being her best friend, who she found in an emotional state on the bed in their dorm. The two other girls in their year were sat either side of her, trying to stop the flow of tears that escaped Nicole’s eyes.

Cho looked up at Asherah as she came to a stop in the doorway startled by the sight she met.

“What’s happened? Nicole are you okay?” Ash didn’t know what to do as she approached the three girls of the bed. Nicole snuffling and hiccupping as she tried to get a handle on her emotions.

“I-Its nothing-g” Nicole managed to push out through sharp breaths before wiping her nose and eyes on her sleeve.

“Well that obviously isn’t true! What’s happened?” Ash asked, as she came closer to the group of girls. Looking to Cho and Marietta, her other dorm mates, to see if they could provide any additional information, to what had so obviously caused Nicole’s distress. Both girls seemed to be avoiding Asherah’s gaze suddenly, Marietta kept her gaze fixed on Nicole’s blotchy face, while Cho’s gaze darted around the room not stopping for long in one place.

“Cho?” Ash questioned. Learning from past experience Cho was the most likely of the pair to give a straight answer. The girl let out a sigh as she met Ash’s gaze and chewed on her lip momentarily before turning to Nicole.

“She’ll probably find out anyway, might as well come from you” Cho told Nicole in a gentle tone while tucking some stray hairs behind the sniffling girl’s ear.

Ash felt a deep pool of anxiety pool in her stomach. What the hell could have happened? Nicole took a deep breath and met her gaze at last.

“Promise you won’t go off on one?” Nicole asked.

It wasn’t in Ash’s nature to lie. Especially to her friends so she was honest with her reply.

“No, I wont promise that” Ash moved to kneel on the bed in front of her and looked her deeply into her eyes. “Tell me.”

Nicole looked down at their entwined fingers. Nicole’s were pale compared to Ash’s tanned skin, she focused on that for a moment before replying to her best friend.

Asherah’s fingers immediately tightened around Nicole as she began to explain the incident that occurred on the third floor this morning. When Nicole looked into Ash’s normally kind hazel eyes, she saw a deep fire within them staring back at her.

“…I’ll kill him” Ash said darkly.

\-----~~~-----

Throwing the door of the common room open Ash stormed into the corridor and set off in search of a dead man. A third year darted out of the way of her path after they witnessed the fifth-year girl practically know two first year students onto their backsides as they didn’t get out her war path quick enough.

Making a sharp turn to the left Ash descended the stairs, not faltering once in her steps. Before making a sharp right turn this time as she got to the bottom of the moving staircase. She saw two lanky, red headed lads walking towards her but didn’t adjust her step or her fixed gaze. Even as Fred called out a greeting.

The two boys slowed down catching the sight of her face in order to talk to her. Before tumbling back into the walls as she barrelled through the pair of them face remaining like thunder. As she continued marching down the hall, not so much as a single glance back.

Locking eyes in shock the Weasley twins looked at each other in confusion neither had ever seen the usually friendly girl look so murderous before.

“Ash wait up!” Fred called out before himself and George powered after her using the advantage of their long legs. “What’s wrong?” he asked puffing slightly as they tried to match her extreme pace. He was left with a deafening silence in reply.

“Ash?” he questioned. Met with stony silence once again. When Fred went to pull her sleeve to get the small girl to slow down he finally got a reaction.

Ash swung round coming to a dead stop as the two boys stumbled in order not to walk straight into her from the sudden change of pace. “Not now Fred.” She said firmly. Fred caught the look of fire in her eyes. But before he could reply she swung round as was back off on her rapid march down the hall. The twins once again caught each other’s eyes in even more confusion before returning their pursuit of the dark heads rampage.

“You seem rather upset” Fred stated rather cautiously from her right, once the boys had caught up once more.

“Do I?” Ash replied sarcastically. Before making a sudden right down the next hallway, the boys tripped over their feet in order to keep up.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you angry” George continued “Didn’t realise you were capable of not smiling” he tried to lighten the mood. That had clearly been the wrong comment to make as once more she whirled around on the two identical boys. Ash only came up to their shoulders but thanks to the rage brewing inside her she felt as though she matched them in height.

“Do not mistake me for a Hufflepuff” she glowered. George just stared at her as she continued to seethe at him, strangely intimidated at her tone as well as extremely curious to what had enraged the usually kind Ravenclaw that his brother was obsessed with. He looked over her head and made eye contact with his twin, not knowing how to respond.

Fred momentarily worrying for his brother’s safety grabbed her arm and pulled her so she faced him. She met his concerned eyes with her glare. Asherah knew she was taking out her anger on the two undeserving boys. But they had got in her way.

“What’s wrong?” Fred asked once again, ducking slightly so he was eyelevel with her. Her nostrils flared as whatever was bothering her came back to the forefront of her mind and ripped herself from the Gryffindors grip and stormed back down the hall.

Exasperated now at the lack of response from the girl, the two boys just decided to follow her, assuming they’d discover what had irked her so badly. “Bloody hell” George murmured to Fred, as they watched fellow student darted out her way last minute as they realised she wasn’t going to move for them. Fred hummed in response, making a mental note to avoid ever ticking this girl off. He was both nervous and intrigued to see who was on the end of her ire.

Making a final turn left Ash slammed open the door of an empty classroom and disappeared from sight. The boys hesitated momentarily before following her inside. The Weasleys saw some Slytherins and Ravenclaws from the seventh and sixth year sat inside the classroom either doing work or messing about. But the whole room had turned to watch the girl as she had a fist full of tie and shirt of a wide eyed Arroyo as she pulled him half way across the desk muttering lowly and darkly so only he could hear what she said.

Fred couldn’t decide whether this was the scariest or one of the sexiest ways he’d ever seen this girl. He felt extremely torn. He was pulled away by his thoughts as he saw Arroyo pull back harshly from his sisters grasp. His own eyes now reflected hers with undeniable anger.

“I’ll kill him” Arroyo repeated the early words his sister had said that day. Now coming round the desk to follow after Asherah, as she whirled around on the spot and marched out the doors, this time the twins knew to step to the side and let her through. As both Phoenix siblings stormed down the hallway after each other.

Fred and George turned to face one another, both boys had thought Arroyo was going to be on the end of the wrath of his sister. But apparently not. This was way more too intriguing to stop following now. So, the twins set off after the raging siblings who just disappeared out of sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this is a shorter one than usual. Again comments definitely help :) Hope you enjoyed this one and I wanna know what you think has irked Ash and Ro so much


	10. The Third Floor Incident

With a thump the pouch on honeycomb chocolate landed on the Gryffindor table. George looked up in mild surprise as he lowered his spoonful of cereal back into the bowl. Asherah stood in front of his with an embarrassed smile.

“I’m not Fred” George said quickly, thinking the dark-haired girl had managed to get them mixed up like so many others do on a day to day basis. Rolling her eyes the girl perched on the bench next to him, as he turned to fully face her.

“I know you're not Fred. They’re for you... A piece offering for yelling at you in the hall” The look of fury that had been painted on her face the other day long gone now as she looked at George. “Although, I’m not certain you deserve it, you did get in my way after all. But my mum always told me, if you apologise to anyone and want them to believe you mean it, bring something sweet.”

George looked back at the brunette, trying to figure out her words, he wasn’t convinced she was truly sorry, but as far as George thought there was nothing to apologise for. Smiling he grabbed a piece of chocolate from the bag before popping it in his mouth.

“Where did you and your brother get to? We tried to follow after you, but you disappeared. And me and Fred know _every_ secret passageway in this school.” George asked what had been bugging him and his brother ever since they lost track of the Phoenix siblings.

Ash’s eyes darkened momentarily; George assumed from the memory of whatever had made her so angry came to the forefront of her mind. She shook her head lightly at him “Family secrets I’m afraid. Can’t go telling them to outsiders”. He looked at the girl for another moment before raising the bag of chocolate to her, offering her a piece. She quickly popped one in her mouth before standing up about to head back to her own table.

Turning around Ash walked straight into the chest of the other Weasley twin. “Ooph” she grunted taking a step back. “Sorry Fred didn’t see you there” she muttered her apology. Looking up at him, Fred was sending a questioning look between Ash and his brother.

“What’s going on here then?” he asked, settling into the seat that Asherah had just vacated next to his twin. Once more looking between the pair raising his eyebrow slightly as he grabbed a slice of toast from the center of the table.

“Just making amends for scaring George yesterday” Ash replied, removing the slice of toast from Fred’s hands taking a bite. Fred just stared at where his hand had been formally holding a slice of toast, blinking in surprise at her.

“You didn’t scare me” George laughed.

“Sure, I didn’t. You were trembling due to the icy winds of December right?” she replied sarcastically to him. 

Fred snorted reaching for another slice of toast since he’d lost his original piece.

“Where’s my apology then? And chocolate?” Fred added eyeing the bag placed in front of his brother.

“I don’t remember yelling at you” Ash told him, before taking the second slice of toast out of Fred's grasp. This time he gave a cry of protest attempting to take it back off her. Before giving up as she simply took a step further away from his reach. He let out a huff of indignation, turning to fully face her.

“Are you prepared to tell us what caused you to get so huffy yesterday?” Fred asked still curious to what had happened. And so was George, also turning to face the girl who stood in front of them.

Ash’s eyes darted around the great hall quickly landing for a second on the far table in the hall, gaze hardening, before meeting the eyes of the twins. “No. But I will tell you it’s been dealt with now.” She reassured them.

“You know if you needed some pranking revenge you could’ve let one of us know” George said gesturing between himself and Fred. Ash huffed out a laugh.

“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind for next time.” Smiling at the two of them she turned and headed back over to the Ravenclaws table, munching on the final piece of toast she’d stolen from Fred. The two boys turned to each other briefly before returning their attention back to their breakfast. If a Ravenclaw truly wanted to keep a secret there wasn’t much to be done about it.

\-----~~~------

The Yule ball was approaching quicker than anyone was really prepared for, especially Ash and Nicole. It was tomorrow night and they were currently relaxing in the common room, knowing tomorrow was most likely going to be a busy day. Ash looked at her friend curled up on the armchair in the common room reading her book.

“Stop looking at me like that” she heard Nicole mumble.

“Like what?” Asherah questioned.

“Like I’m some puppy you saw kicked in the street” Nicole looked up at her friend. “I promise you _I’m_ _fine_.”

“I’m sorry” Ash told her for the billionth time.

“Ash it’s not your fault. I really am okay” Nicole reassured her.

“He’s my brother” Ash said misplaced guilt filling her voice.

When Nicole had told Ash, what had happened on the third floor, her stomach filled with outrage for her friend as well as guilt knowing it was one of her own family member that contributed to her best friend being so upset.

_Nicole had been walking back to the Ravenclaw tower after her classes of the morning, one of which she didn’t share with any other Ravenclaw girls, which is why she had been alone. Planning to drop off her books and bags before heading to the Great Hall to meet the others for lunch. When she was confronted by a group of third years walking the other way. The majority of the group consisted of fourth years. But a few third years where in the mix as well, Asherah’s brother Hurley included._

_Nicole’s books were knocked out of her hands violently. Looking up in surprise she gulped as she saw the harsh glare of Malfoy sneering down at her. He was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, hanging back from the three main boys stood Hurley, looking anywhere but Nicole’s direction and his friend Anthony Goldstein, a Ravenclaw fourth year._

_Bending to grab her books that were thrown across the floor, Nicole knew it was best not to react to them. When she felt a sharp kick behind her knee, and with a yelp went flying to the floor only just manging to catch herself with her hands, to stop her face being smashed into the stone floor. Nicole let out a sharp cry when she felt a fistful of her hair being grabbed yanking her head up. Her hands flew to her scalp to try get Crabbe to loosen his harsh grip on her hair. She saw Malfoys face come into view a cold look on his face. Her eyes watered at the tugging on her scalp, her vision blurry she looked over his shoulder at her best friend’s little brother Hurley for some kind of help. Hurley remained focused on not looking at her, unable to see her looking at him in such a pleading matter. Looking back at Malfoys harsh gaze, he picked up one of her books looking at it in disgust, before slinging it further down the hall. “Fetch Mudblood” he said to her lowly. Before cackling and strutting off down the hallway, the grip on her hair was released harshly as the group followed after him, laughing and discussing the look that had been on her face._

_Momentarily stunned at what had just happened, Nicole remained kneeling on the floor staring at where Malfoy had been crouched. She had never been trated so badly by anyone in her life before, let alone someone who was practically a stranger. Blinking rapidly she forced herself to breath. Looking over her shoulder back at the group rounding the corner, she locked gaze with Hurley briefly before he snapped his attention away again. Ignorance is bliss, and he was a coward._

_Feeling hurt and embarrassed she clambered back to her feet books in her arms once more. Scurrying back to the Ravenclaw tower before she got to the girls dorm. Cho had taken one look at her before asking 'what was wrong', when Nicole finally burst into tears. And that’s when Ash had found them._

Looking over at Ash sat on the sofa with guilt filled eyes she smiled in what she hope was a reassuring way. She knew Ash wouldn’t have reacted well to the story, and there was no doubt she’d be upset at her little brother for even hanging out with the lads, let alone not defending Nicole. But Nicole didn’t want the boy in trouble with his family. He was like a little brother to Nicole as well and she was fully aware he was most likely just as scared as Nicole had been. Not all Ravenclaws where filled with loyalty and courage as well as cleverness that seemed to bless Asherah.

Ash thought back to seeing her little brother tremble with fright as he exited his classroom flanked with his classmates and spotted his older brother sister charging down the hallway, flared nostrils and glares aimed straight at him.

_Grabbing an arm each they dragged him back into the classroom he’d just exited forcing him into one of the chairs. Flitwick had already vacated the room, as Arroyo snapped at a Hufflepuff girl, to pack her stuff faster and to get out. This only made Hurley more nervous, Arroyo was the gentlest of all his siblings._

_Arroyo crossed his arms and stood menacingly in front of his little brother, as Hurley heard his sister muttering a locking and silencing spell on the room. Before slowly turning to look at her brother all traces of friendliness removed from her face. Hurley felt himself swallow as he looked down in shame having a good idea what this was about._

_“Anything you would like to share with us Hurley” Ash asked in an eerily calm voice._

_“It wasn’t me!” Hurley quickly blurted out his only defence. “It was Malfoy and those other two morons, I didn’t do anything” he whined._

_Jolting forward as Arroyo grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. “Exactly” Arroyo snarled at him. “You didn’t do anything to help to the girl that’s been practically family.”_

_Hurley swallowed. Looking towards his sister to see if she would temper their brothers anger. He received a blank stare in return._

_“Why were you even with those boys?” he heard Asherah ask him._

_“I was- I was with Anthony when they joined us. I didn’t know how to just leave the group” Hurley whined as his brother tightened the grip on his shirt._

_“When did you become such a coward” Hurley heard Arroyo ask, before the grip on his shirt was finally released. “Would you like to come with me to Filches office, I heard he’s been dying at the opportunity to string a student up by their toes in the dungeons?” Arroyo threatened._

_“Ash” Hurley begged quietly, looking to his sister once more. She let out a deep sigh, all the anger that had flooded her seemed to drain as she looked at her scared thirteen year old brother. Looking over to Arroyo who seemed to get the impression that his sister was no longer wanting to flay their brother they communicated with their eyes._

_“Hurley, do you understand what that word Malfoy used means?” Ash asked him quietly. Hurley nodded knowing he was in too dangerous territory to get annoyed with the patronising question. “And do you understand why we can never stand back if it’s used against someone?” Hurley nodded again. But this time it was his sister who surged forward and yanked him by the collar, shaking his slightly. “Do you?” she asked angrily. “Do you know that no matter how scared you are, if they’re younger, older, male, female, stranger or friend why we must not allow for that term to be used?” she asked him darkly. Hurley felt himself shrink back into his chair at the blazing look he received from his sister. “That word is used to belittle people, to deny their right to exist in this world. Do you understand how cruel and unjust that is to make feel people like they don’t belong all because of the family they were born in to.” She snarled._

_Hurley felt his eyes begin to swim with unshed tears as he looked between his siblings feeling the shame and twist in his gut as he thought of the image of Nicole on her knees in the corridor. “I’m sorry” he said weakly, “I was just scared” a few tears escaped his eyes and he hurried to wipe them from his cheeks._

_Asherah’s gaze softened as she released the grip on her little brother’s shirt and pulled him, so his face was buried in her stomach as he began to shake with little sobs. Rubbing his back comfortingly she looked at Arroyo, who’s eyes had also softened seeing his brother break down. Sighing they knew their brother was just a dumb, scared teenager. Maybe they had been too harsh on him. But neither wanted to see Hurley be misguided in any form. Arroyo placed his hand on Hurley’s shoulder. “Common lets go make this right” he said, pulling him to his feet and guiding him out of the classroom._

Snapping her head out o the past memories and focusing her gaze back onto Nicole who sat in front of her, she knew her friend had long forgiven her little brother. She’d forgiven him them moment it happened, but Ash couldn’t help but feel bad her friend had to go through that experience that so many other innocent muggleborn children had to suffer through alone. 

Looking up Ash noticed Callan approaching the two of them, forcing Nicole to move over to make room for him as he settled in next to her, slinging his arm over the back of the chair before engaging her in conversation.

Ash smiled behind her book at the pair of them. Callan had been outraged when he had finally heard the news but after reassurances from both herself and Arroyo that the situation had been dealt with and things just needed to settle down again, he let it go. Going off to seek Nicole out himself to make sure that she was actually okay, apparently Asherah’s reassurance weren’t good enough.

Ash grinned at the memory, when her best friend found her later on that night, to tell her shyly how Callan had asked her to be his date to the ball, nervous Ash wouldn’t be okay with her brother asking out her best friend. But seeing the look of excitement in Nicole’s eyes, she couldn’t help but be thrilled for her friend, before dragging her to ask what colour she thinks she’ll wear. The incident on the third floor long forgotten from Nicole’s mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly longer chapter for you, hope you enjoy. And please again any comments or feedback would be great! :)


	11. The Yule Ball

The morning of the Yule ball dawned quickly, and the whole castle was set a twitter. The snow was falling thickly outside the window of the dorm room, as all the girls began to slowly arise from their slumber. Ash knew the majority of the afternoon was most likely going to be spent getting ready and gossiping with the other girls as the ball didn’t begin until eight that night.

Ash shook Nicole’s shoulder urging her to wake up faster, she was hungry and wanted to get food before it was too late. After a bit of coaxing and a promise of presents afterwards, Nicole finally allowed herself to be pulled up. Dressed in their jeans and festive jumpers the girls wondered down to the Great Hall to get their fill of food.

Several students were already seated at the tables by the time they entered the lowest floor. Ash scanned the hall for any familiar faces and spotted Marley sat at the Slytherin table next to one of his friends, catching her eye he gave her a small wave and smile, which she quickly returned. Having spent a bit more time with Marley since he’d asked her to the ball, she had to admit she liked him better than she initially thought she would. He often joined her at her self-designated table in the library or a few times they took a walk around the lake just generally getting to know one another better; when Krum’s fan club became too noisy for the pair of them to bare. He was quiet as a person, only commenting on things when he felt a need to say something. And what he did say was well thought out and smart, but he did possess a dry witty sense of humour, which emerged once Ash assumed, he was more comfortable around her.

“Do you think it’ll be awkward for you two tonight?” Nicole asked from her side, noticing the exchange between her friend and the Slytherin.

Turning to face her friend after she loaded her plate with poached eggs and toast, Ash shrugged.

“No, it should be fine, we’ve spent some time together, plus they’ll be loads of other people. It’s not like it’s going to be completely one on one” Ash replied.

Nicole nodded, buttering her toast. “You know, I’m surprised Fred Weasley didn’t ask you” Nicole commented glancing over to the Gryffindor table before returning her attention back to her breakfast.

“Oh.” It had completely slipped Ash’s mind that she never told her best friend about that particular occurrence.

“Actually, he did. But I had already agreed to go with Marley by that point.” Ash saw Nicole pause, toast half way to her mouth before she turned to face her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Nicole asked sounding mildly hurt.

“I’m sorry Nic it just completely slipped my mind to tell you, when that other thing happened, you know.”

Nicole nodded in understanding when she realised what incident Ash was referring to before commenting. “That’s a shame for him then, poor boy fancies you rotten.”

Asherah spluttered on her morning tea, which quickly turned to coughs and gasping for air at Nicole’s casual comment. Eyes wide and watering as she tried to get her spluttering cough under control. Nicole sat to the side watching with amusement as Asherah tried to regain her composure.

“What?” Ash spluttered. “He does _not_ fancy me.”

Nicole snorted in reply “Don’t be so naïve Ash, it’s _painfully_ obvious. To the point I actually feel pity for the boy.”

Ash shook her head in exasperation, her and Fred were just friends, Nicole was most likely just reading into it because he happened to be a male friend. Ash told her as much.

“No, Ash, genuinely. Look at him properly for two minutes and you’ll see I’m right” Nicole told her confidently.

“Right about what?” Arroyo asked as he and Callan joined the girls at the table. Ash’s cheeks flared suddenly, feeling caught out.

“Right about Fred Weasley fancying Ash” Nicole told them bluntly.

"Nicole!" Ash turned to glare at her friend, her brothers absolutely did not need to have known about her friend’s ridiculous theories.

“Oh him” Callan muttered moodily looking over to the Gryffindor table, narrowing his eyes at one of the twins.

“News to me” Arroyo said cheerily looking at his sisters pink cheeks “Since when?” he asked.

“She’s winding you up Ro, ignore her” Asherah scowled at Nicole who simply shrugged in reply, not the least bit intimidated by her friend’s grumpiness.

“No she isn’t” Callan chimed in “He more or less told me himself” once again turning to grumpily to glare at the Gryffindor table. Ash stared at her brother, while Arroyo chortled at the news; clearly amused at how much this fact obviously upset his younger brother.

“Come off it Cal” Arroyo chuckled his laughter began to fade the longer his brother continued to glare at the other table. The smile finally slipped from his face altogether. “You are joking right?” Arroyo asked. Callan shook his head.

“Caught him practically jumping her in the corridor a while back” he muttered indignantly.

Asherah rolled her eyes at the overprotective tone of her brother. “You’re completely exaggerating, and you’re fully aware of it” she muttered.

Arroyo continued his examination of the other boy before deciding it could be worse, the Weasley’s were a good family. “Fred’s nice” Arroyo nodded in approval eventually, while Callan turned on his brother.

“He’s an idiot Ro.”

“No, he isn't!” Asherah finally snapped back at Callan. “Him and George are really smart, not to mention creative.” Defending the two boys from her brother’s malice. Arroyo turned at his sister eyebrows raised.

“Very defensive” Arroyo stated teasingly.

“Well, they are” Ash muttered back “Plus they’re being attacked while not even here to defend themselves and Callan you used to like them both plenty before.” she added for good measure.

Callan turned to his sister looking her over silently.

“That's true, I did”. Ash nodded turning back to her toast thinking the matter could be left alone now. “Before Fred Weasley started to mentally undress my little sister. Then I had an issue.”

Arroyo snorted, while Asherah once again spluttered on her tea, scowling at her brother.

\------~~~-------

“You look beautiful” Asherah told Nicole while watching her friend analyse herself in the mirror. The red dress her friend wore was off shoulder before following her figure snugly all the way to the floor, her blonde hair was pulled into a low elegant bun, curls gently framing her face. Ash wasn’t lying to her friend, she did look beautiful.

Spinning to look at Ash full on Nicole smiled at her.

“So do you” she complimented back, grabbing her little bag before hoisting her friend to her feet. “Are you ready to go Marietta?” Nicole turned and asked their other dormmate who was currently wrestling with the strap of her shoe, her green chiffon dress suited her well too. Cho had headed down early to the Great Hall as Cedric had asked to meet her a bit earlier.

“Yep” Marietta said finally, looking up, “Oh wow, you two look amazing!”

Laughing Ash linked her arms with the two girls. “Common lets go, otherwise we’ll spend the whole night in the dorm just complimenting each other.”

Finally arriving at the Great Hall’s entrance the three girls paused in the corner each waiting for their various dates. Eddie Carmichael soon appeared at Marietta’s side and dragged her away with a wave and promise to see them in there.

Callan also soon popped up at his sisters side causing Asherah to jump about three feet.

“Bloody hell Cal, you frightened me” Ash muttered raising her hand to steady her heart. When Asherah didn’t hear a reply from her brother she looked over at him in his fine black dress robes, but his attention was firmly fixed on her friend next to her. Glancing at Nicole she saw a similar reaction from her.

Looking back and forth between the two, initially amused by their reactions before becoming more uncomfortable the longer the two of them just stared at each other.

Clearing her throat loudly the two of them snapped out of it both blushing like first years. Causing Asherah to grin manically, “You know” Ash cleared her throat as the two turned to look at her “I don’t know which one of you to threaten to look after the other” She grinned widely, watching Callan’s face bloom a deeper red, with a small glare, he offered Nicole his arm, which she quickly accepted cheeks pink.

“Shall we?” he asked, maintaining his glare on his sister. Ash simply grinned widely back at his glare, feeling entirely too pleased with herself. She loved any opportunity to tease her brother, even if it was mildly at the expense of her friend. 

“Shouldn’t we wait for Ash?” Nicole asked pulling on Callan’s arm gently, looking between the two siblings.

“Nah you guys go on ahead, I won’t be far behind” Ash smiled reassuringly at her friend shooting her a wink. Nodding back to her Ash was left alone in the corner of the hall entrance. Only twenty seconds or so passed when she felt a warm hand grasp her shoulder, turning Ash met the warm eyes of Marley, he stood tall in his dark blue robes. She felt her lips turning up into a warm smile as she looked the boy over.

“You look gorgeous” Marley smiled down at her, raising her hand to his lips, he pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it.

“You don’t look so bad yourself” Ash smiled gently back at the action.

Taking her arm Marley led her into the Great Hall to join the others. Leading Ash over to a table where other seventh years sat, Marley introduced her to a few of his friends whose names quickly left her head as soon as she heard them, they all smiled politely back at her exchanging greetings, Ash spotted Arroyo over on the next table, who sent her a quick wink before turning back to his date. Everyone soon settled into their conversations and food, the atmosphere of the evening ahead filling everyone with excitement.

\-----~~~-----

Simultaneously laughing and panting Ash left the dance floor shouting to Marley over the loud music that she needed a drink. Smiling widely back at the girl, he gave her a thumbs up to let her know he had understood as she made her way through the crowd, intent on heading to the table to get water and rest her sore feet for a moment.

Looking up as she felt a body slump into the seat next to her, she met the eyes of Fred, he looked just as out of breath as she had been. Smiling at him she offered him a goblet of water. Smiling in gratitude he drunk deeply.

“You look like you’re having fun” Fred commented.

“Yeah, I am, the nights been good actually” she nodded back to him “How’s yours going?” Ash asked him.

“Yeah, it’s been fun” looking out at the floor filled with young witches and wizards dancing about. Ash felt the silence settle over them, looking at Fred in his dark robes watching the crowd she silently wondered if her night would’ve been much different if she’s ended up going with him. She felt her cheeks flushing slightly as she recalled the conversation that he had been the centre of just that morning. She wondered momentarily if their had been any truth to Nicole’s theories.

Perhaps feeling the weight of her stare on the side of his face Fred turned to look at her raising a single eyebrow in question.

“You look handsome” Ash told him, feeling a rush of Gryffindor bravery. A dark red flush covered his cheeks as soon as her words had registered with him.

“So do you” he said before spluttering realising his mistake “I mean you look beautiful! Not handsome! I meant beautiful” he rushed to correct himself, as Ash chuckled as he floundered.

“Thank you, Fred” she told him quietly, this time being the one who looked over the crowd as Fred examined her.

He meant it. But he always thought she was beautiful, tonight she was stunning. He thought back to when he saw her briefly if the entrance to the Great hall, the one shouldered dark blue dress clung to her figure as she walked and flowed like water to her feet, with soft curls hanging down her back. The material of the dress looked how stars would look like reflected off the surface of the ocean in Fred opinion. She was beautiful. But watching her now, hair more fluffed, cheeks flushed from the exertion of dancing, she looked even more beautiful this way. She was perfect to him.

“You know you promised me some dances” he told her, as she turned back to him grinning.

“I did didn’t I” she laughed “Can you give me another two minutes to recover?” she asked still feeling tired from all the previous dancing.

“Sure” Fred smiled “Do you want to go get some air? Its hot in here” he asked

“Yes, that would be great actually.”

Standing up, Fred linked their arms, guiding her out of the hall. Ash shivered lightly as the cold air cooled her hot skin and instantly relaxed further. Wondering over to the railing looking across the grounds. She knew the black lake was there somewhere in front of her but thanks to the late hour it was impossible to make it out. She felt Fred lean on the rail next to her, also looking out at the night.

“They’ve really done a beautiful job tonight” Ash commented lightly, thinking of the hall looking like an ice palace, and observing the trees around them, with tiny little lights twinkling in the branches giving the darkness a soft glow. She heard Fred hum in agreement from besides her.

“Are you okay?” Ash asked the boy who had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since he’d entered her company. Fred only nodded continuing to look out into the darkness before them seemingly lost in thought.

Biting her lip gently Ash pulled on Fred’s sleeve to get him to face her. As he turned to look at her Fred froze, eyes fixed on her lips; with a gaze not unfamiliar to the one he’d given her back in the corridor. Feeling her neck warm at the look he was giving her, she continued to pull until Fred was stood directly before her. Feeling brave she took a step closer to him, stretching to wrap her arms loosely around his neck, she heard his breath hitch as he blinked down at her. She smiled as she felt his hands settle on her waist uncertainly. Slowly she began to nudge him around in a circle. He huffed out a laugh when he caught onto what she was doing, finally taking the lead, and pulling her in slow circles to the sound of the muffled music coming from the hall.

Fred stared transfixed on the girl in his arms, his whole body was humming with pleasure, he wanted her so badly. Maybe he ought to just tell her how he feels. Its got to be better than this feeling of having her standing just outside the reach of his grasp, taunting him. 

“Ash…” he murmured gently, her eyes looked up at him blinking brightly. This time he was sure she was staring at his mouth. “I just-” Fred was cut off at the sound of his name being called, looking up her saw Angelina staring at him perplexed for a moment before smiling at him gently. 

“Lee is drunk as a bat, I think he needs to be taken back to the common room” she informed him.

Fred felt Asherah release her arms from around Fred’s neck and take a step back from him. Fred let out a deep sigh at the instant lack of warmth, he felt like the world was against him tonight.

“Oh dear, is he okay?” he heard Ash ask from his side. Angelina looked over to Ash and nodded smiling.

“Yeah, he’s fine, just not sure how much longer McGonagall is going to look the other way for” Angelina laughed lightly “He’s sat with George right now” she added.

Nodding Fred sighed resigned to his fate as he and Ash moved to follow Angelina back into the hall, spotting George immediately at the side struggling under the weight of his heavy friend. Fred rolled his eyes at Lee not being able to sit up straight. Turning to apologise to Ash for having to run off to deal with his friend before he was interrupted once more.

“There you are!” Fred heard a voice he didn’t recognise but quickly matched it to the guy stood in front of them. “I was beginning to worry for a minute” Marley said “I wasn’t sure if me stepping on your toes all night finally scared you off.” he joked. 

Laughing gently Ash shook her head, “No, I just needed some air” she informed him, glancing back at Fred and Angelina “I’ll see you guys later, good luck with Lee” she smiled at them both as Marley reached for her hand.

Fred felt his heart twist in his chest as Marley interlocked their fingers pulling Asherah away from him and back to the dance floor. Swallowing as he felt a sympathetic pat on his shoulder from Angelina, before making his way over to his twin and their friend, trying to banish the bitter thoughts from his mind, as Lee stumbled to stand up straight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah Yule Ball chapter done, I kinda struggled to write this one, as there was many different ways you could take this scene, but i decided that most hogwarts students would've had a fairly drama free night.   
> Also I personally don't like it when people villainise Angelina, in my view Fred and Ang never actually dated but where just good mates. and even if they did date she was a wicked girl, who was great at quidditch and was friends with the twins. Don't really understand the hate... anyway rant over. I hope you liked this chapter, not entirely sure what'll happen next. 
> 
> Lemme know if you guys have comments, feedback, likes/dislikes, stuff you wanna see? It's very helpful to me :)


	12. The Kitchens

Leaning over the desk in the library Ash was attempting to commit the properties and uses of Self-Fertilising Shrub to memory. Due to it not being an easy plant to find as it like the dark damp conditions of caves Ash had never actually seen one in person, so trying to understand the plant from books alone was becoming a task as she often liked to examine the plant in person. Frowning down at the rough sketch in the textbook, she began to sketch out her own, copying the lines and shape of leaves, in the hope this would help her commit the information to memory. She knew that there was another book; _the flesh-eating trees of the world_ which contained more quality pictures in it, but she couldn’t be bothered to search for the book on the never ending shelves of the library.

Her stomach let out a loud gurgle, immediately her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as the sound seemed to echo around the quiet library. Looking over to Fred who sat opposite her once again working on his and George’s products to see if he had noticed. Guessing from the unsubtle shake of his shoulders in quiet laughter he had heard. He had been trying to convince her to abandon the library in favour of some food for the last half an hour. But insisting that she wasn’t hungry she had stayed to work longer, until her stomach noises began to betray her. Turning her attention back to her half sketch, she began to add the curve of the roots of the plant to her sketch when once again her stomach growled more insistently this time. Ash could see Fred lifting his head to look at her pointedly from across the table but she refused to meet his gaze this time and began to lightly shade in the leaves to give them more definition.

_Grrr._

When her stomach sounded for the third time in the space of four minutes she threw her quil down and turned to meet the smug gaze of Fred. Raising her eyebrow silently, she silently dared him to make a comment about being right.

Sighing in defeat, she looked at the time. By the time they had packed up all of their belongings and headed down to the Great Hall for food, it would probably be over. Instantly feeling guilty at unconsciously causing Fred to miss his dinner too, as he had insisted on remaining by her side that evening as he ‘hadn’t got his fair share of her company in over a week’.

“I’ve got some chocolate frogs buried somewhere in my dorm” Ash suggested “You must have some of those toffee things lying about still”

Fred simply quirked his eyebrow higher as if questioning why she had informed him about this.

“We could have a sugary dinner?” Ash clarified.

“I wouldn’t recommend the toffees, your tongue will grow to four feet, might make the rest of your chocolate more difficult to eat” Fred laughed “Why wouldn’t we just go to the kitchens?” Fred questioned.

“You know where the kitchens are” Ash asked in genuine surprise. She was well aware the twins were able to navigate the school like the back of their hand, she knew a fair few of the secret passages and nooks herself. But she had no clue where the kitchens of the castle were hidden.

“You don’t know?” Fred responded in mild surprise before grinning widely. “Wow, does this mean I’m smarter than a Ravenclaw? You must send a letter to mother this instance, it’ll be sure to knock her out cold with the shock” he laughed.

Ash rolled her eyes at his dramatics “I’m sure your mother doesn’t need me to inform her of how smart her sons are.”

“Trust me, even combining mine and George’s O.W.L. results, our mother is convinced we’re the true disappointments of the family” he said laughing it off.

Ash narrowed her eyes at him, something told her this was sore point for him, therefore not wanting to linger on it she gathered up her parchment.

“Well, here’s your opportunity to impart knowledge on a Ravenclaw then” watching him scramble to pull his notes together, following her lead. “Do you mind if we stop by the tower before we go?” she asked wanting to ditch her bag and books, as Fred stuffed his few bits of parchment into his pocket. He nodded his agreement before grabbing her textbooks off the table to carry for her. Ash blinked in surprise momentarily before smiling at his gesture and shouldering her bag, as they set off. 

\-----~~~-----

Once Asherah had ditched her bags in her dorm, letting Nicole know where she had been and where she was going, ignoring the raise of eyebrows that followed her. She met Fred outside the common room entrance and once again they set off, this time Fred was taking the lead, taking her further down the castle.

“What happens if you can’t answer the riddle?” Fred questioned, thinking back to how Ash had quickly answered the bronzed eagle door knockers question, before leaving him to wait for her return.

“Hm? Oh you usually just have to wait for someone else to show up. But honestly so many people come and go it’s really not a big deal.” Ash replied.

“Do you not get people from other houses getting in? Surely people other than Ravenclaws could get in just by answering the riddle?”

Ash just shrugged in reply. “Sometimes” she admitted “But it’s the same as overhearing the password for Gryffindor or Slytherin or memorising the correct pattern to know for Hufflepuffs” Ash told him.

Fred hadn’t really thought of that, he supposed it would be fairly easy to figure out the passwords to the common rooms if you could be bothered enough to learn.

“Are we nearly there?” Ash questioned as the two of the travelled to lower and lower levels of the castle.

“Yeah, just one more floor” Fred promised as he heard Ash’s stomach growl once more, turning his head to hide his small smile. Ash looked curiously at Fred as he suddenly stopped opening his arms wide in a wide display of excitement, grinning down at her, clearly waiting for some kind of reaction. Ash looked up and down the hallways and to the sides, looking for some kind of wall hanging which might be hiding the kitchens. Confused she simply looked back at Fred blankly. Was she meant to find it herself? Rolling his eyes at her, at her obvious lack of confidence in him Fred turned to the portrait depicting a bowl of fruit to their right and reached up to tickle the pear. Watching in fascination as the little piece of fruit rolled around letting out a giggle before transforming into a door handle. Grinning down at the look of amazement on the brunettes face, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the kitchens after him.

“Oh wow” He heard Ash whisper out in amazement as she looked around at the replica of the Great Hall covered in a warm glow from the blazing fires, with loads of little house elves running round between the stoves and the tables.

“This is amazing” Ash breathed turning to look up at Fred in wonder, she couldn’t believe she had only just been shown this place. Fred smiled down at her, remembering his own awe the first time him and George found the kitchens in their second year. Squeezing her hand gently in reply, Fred turned as her heard a high pitch voice call out to him.

“Mr Wheezy” a little house elf came pattering over.

“Hello Dobby” Fred greeted the house elf that Ron and Harry had introduced to him and George once he had got employed in the kitchens. Knowing his connection to Harry Potter Dobby was always keen to help out any friend of his, and so often came up to himself and George whenever they visited the kitchens.

“What can Dobby do for you today?” he asked with his squeaky voice. Ash looked the little creature over looking at his mismatched socks, and jumper that dragged over the floor, she smiled at him, he was adorable.

“Well, we happened to miss dinner time today, I don’t suppose you could wrap something up for us do you?” Ash heard Fred ask the little creature and smiled as he nodded so quickly his ears flapped over his eyes and he scurried off quickly at the request saying ‘yes master Wheezy, Dobby help you’. Ash felt her smile widen as she saw Fred turn to look down at her.

“He’s adorable” Ash commented. She had never really been around house elves before as she observed all of the little creatures running around the room. She noted that Dobby was the only one dressed head to toe in an assortment of various colours.

“He’s a friend of Harrys” Fred informed her. shaking his head at her curious eyebrow, “long story” he muttered quietly. Before turning to take the basket out of Dobby’s hands as he wobbled back over to them.

“Food for master Wheezy and his friend” he announced.

“Thank you, Dobby” Fred smiled turning to lead Ash out of the kitchens. She quickly called her thanks out to the little creature smiling at him as Fred pulled her out.

“We’re not staying there?” Ash questioned as she pushed the portrait back into place before following after Fred.

“Nah, I know another good spot” he replied lightly making his way back up the moving staircase. Ash huffed in her effort to keep up with is long legs.

“Slow down, you do know you’ve got over a foot on me” she complained as she finally managed t reach his side again.

“How could I forget? I have neck ache every time I hang around you” Fred laughed, not making much of an effort to slow his pace. He felt Ash’s small hands attempt to shove him into the wall. That only caused him to laugh more, as her push barely moved him. Grabbing her hand once again, he pulled the girl along behind him to stop any more attempt at attacks. Not noticing her scowling up at him, or the low blush that had rose to her cheeks at him taking hold of her hand, for the second time that night.

Finally Fred came to a stop in front of a hanging which he quickly slipped behind tugging her in behind him. It was pitch black down the short corridor, but she trusted Fred not to let her fall over in the dark. Once more he stopped and reached out to grasp a handle of a door, that Ash could only just make out the frame of in the darkness. Opening the door, he led her in. for the second time that night Ash was stunned at another location she didn’t realise existed in the castle.

The room glowed a warm orange from a fire that sat in the wall opposite the wall in a large brick fireplace. A comfortable and squashy looking red sofa sat in front of the fire with a low table in front of that and to the far left of the room was a little table with two small wooden chairs which was littered with parchment. As well as cardboard boxes stacked against the wall on the floor. Watching Fred walk over to the table and pull out the pieces of parchment he had been working on earlier and dump them on the pile, Ash realised this is where Fred and George must do all of their research and experiments for their products.

A warm feeling overtook her body as she stared at the boy as he sat down on the sofa, turning his neck to observe her just standing in the doorway with a soft look in her eyes. He must’ve trusted her an awful lot to show her this place. If she told on him and George, she could bring this whole operation down. Moving to join him on the sofa she settled next to him, tucking her legs under her, she turned to study the boy next to her once more. Examining his face which was littered with freckles, she noticed a small scar on the edge of his jaw. His eyelashes were long as they brushed the tops of his eyebrows every time he blinked; his cheekbones prominent. At some point during her analysis, Fred finally paused his task of unpacking the food onto the low table and turned to look back at her. He had been trying to keep down the blush as he noticed her continue to stare at the side of his face.

Ash blinked as his eyes met hers, she watched his eyes flicker over parts of her face too, most likely examining her the way she had been analysing him. Even as her turned to face her fully she continued to look him over. She had never really taken the time to properly examine his face before but now that she was able to see his face straight on, she took the opportunity to look the opposite side of his face. He had a smaller cluster of freckles below the corner of his right eye. She wondered briefly if George had some there too or if that would be a way to tell the boys apart. Not that Ash ever really struggled to, their mannerisms around her were quite different and often telling her which twin was which. But if they started to act the same, she supposed she would have as much trouble as everyone else.

Noticing a red flush begin to rise up Fred’s neck Ash finally pulled her stare away from the boys face, she didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. Clearing her throat quickly, she took in the pile food in front of them.

“Wow, good job I’m hungry” she commented lightly leaning over to pick up one of the roast potatoes popping it into her mouth. As she glanced briefly at Fred from the corner of her eye. That snapped him out of his trance as he smiled at her.

“Yeah, Dobby always goes a little overboard with the feeding” Fred said. Following Ash’s lead and began to tear at a chicken leg leaning back comfortably into the plush sofa. “What do you reckon the second task will involve?” Fred asked her.

“Merlin I dread to think” Ash muttered, thinking of the dragons involved in the first task. “Has Harry had much luck with the clue?” she asked curiously. She always liked puzzles and riddles but apart from that she saw no appeal in taking part of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

Fred simply shrugged in reply, “I don’t think so, to be honest those three can be very secretive when they want to be” he thought of three friends. They had been spending a lot of time in the library themselves researching all sorts of things, he’d noted. He suspected Harry was grateful for all of the help they were given especially considering he was technically meant to be doing this alone.

Nodding in thought, Ash reached for another potato and some chicken, before also sinking back into the sofa.

“What’s the update with your friend and brother?” Fred asked suddenly.

Ash blinked in surprise, she hadn’t realised he’d picked up on that little event, he was more observant than she had realised.

“They’re still tip-toeing around the fact they like each other” Ash laughed. “I think Callan may be slightly concerned about what my opinion on the matter would be, but he hasn’t come to talk to me” she told him.

“And?”

“And what?”

“And what is your opinion on it” Fred clarified.

“Oh I don’t know actually. On the one hand I think they are well suited to each other, but he is my brother and that’s just ew. But then again, I think he would be good for her, but if they dated and it all went tits up and I was caught in the middle of it, that would be an absolute disaster” she trailed off.

Looking at Fred she shrugged “There’s pros and cons to both, so honestly I don’t know. I guess they’ve just got to figure it out themselves, I suppose its not really any of my business.”

Fred looked her over thinking of his own siblings. He’s not sure how he would feel about one of his friends dating his sister. But maybe because Ginny was younger that was an unfair comparison. He tried to imagine Angelina or Alicia announcing they were dating Charlie or Bill. He frowned, no that’s too weird to think about he decided.

“Where is George tonight?” he heard Ash ask as she leaned over to pick at the crispy bits of roast potatoes lefts in the tray.

“Oh, him and Lee are going over Lee’s application for a commentary radio work experience thing” Fred told her, leaning over to grab one of the chocolate cupcakes that were in the bag.

“Oh really? That would be great for Lee, I love his commentary at the quidditch matches, he’s always funny” Ash thought back to when Lee often made comments on the players and more often than not attempt to insult the Slytherin players, before being told off by Professor McGonagall. Smiling at the memory of Lee trying to convince Angelina Johnson to go out with him throughout the match.

Fred simply nodded in agreement; Lee would be brilliant at it. Smiling at Ash once she settled back into the sofa, feet tucked under her once more facing him on the sofa, as she had finished picking at the tray. Fred stretched his long legs to rest on top of the low table, offering her the last bite of the cupcake. She accepted it and popped it into her mouth smiling at him in thanks. Letting out a content sigh he rested his head back against the sofa as he continued to look at her. Ash returned the action leaning her head to the side watching him in return, a small smile on her face. She felt warm, full and content she realised. She hadn’t realised how quickly she had got comfortable around Fred.

This time Ash felt a warmth begin to pool in her stomach as Fred looked at her. His eyes seemed darker than usual; his face didn’t have his usual grin but a more thoughtful deep expression. Asherah became very aware of herself in that moment, the way her knees lightly pressed into his thighs, due to the small sofa. The hand that rested near her leg, that brushed her thighs every time she shuffled slightly. She felt the heat in her stomach begin to consume the rest of her body, his gaze felt heavy on her but she couldn’t bring herself to break their gaze. She was very aware of her breathing, as the tips of her fingers and toes tingled. Had Fred always looked at her like that she wondered. She felt her eyes fall to his mouth, feeling herself bite her own lip, before her eyes looked back up to meet his. But Fred’s eyes were now locked on where her mouth was. The flush on his neck had risen again, and Ash felt her breath catch as she noticed his eyes were darker than ever. The heat in her stomach intensified, and she acted on instinct.

Leaning in, she kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update happened sooner than I thought it would. Please let me know what you guys thought!


	13. Cornered by Red Hair

He stopped breathing. Every single thought that had been in his head left him all at once. He felt her lips against his, the ones he had been dreaming of for an embarrassingly long time. He was frozen. Even as he felt the warmth of her body against his, and he knew exactly what he wanted to do, he wasn’t able t communicate his body to move. The whole situation must’ve lasted for less than four seconds when he felt her pull back from him abruptly. Fred could only stare at her his mouth slightly agape in shock as he took in her flushed cheeks, as her eyes darted from everywhere but his face.

“I’m sorry” she said quickly.

“I don’t know what I was thinking” her cheeks were vibrant red now as she quickly got to her feet, eyes darted around the room looking like a spooked horse.

“Thanks, for the food” she rushed out. 

Fred was finally able to get his body and brain to start communicating and stood up from the sofa. Ash met his stare briefly as she spotted his movement before they darted away from his form once again as she backed off towards the door. Fred instinctively followed her as she stepped away from him.

“Wait Ash” he called still in mild daze.

“I’ve got to get back” Ash said voice shaking as she reached behind her and felt for the doorknob.

“I’m sorry” she apologised one more time before bolting out the door.

Fred blinked at the empty space where she had just been, before calling after her. Throwing himself out the door into the secret passageway, he pulled the tapestry that covered the entrance and looked up and down the hall, but she was gone.

“Fuck” Fred breathed to himself, blinking dazedly around as he headed back to the room which they had both just exited. He sat himself down on the sofa and stared at the flames of the fire. His mind which had been paused before was now a whirlwind of different thoughts and he felt a surge of various emotions.

The girl he had been pining over for so long just kissed him. _She_ kissed _him_. He felt a goofy smile come over his face. Before he felt the anger and annoyance at himself for not reacting, w _hy?_ Why had he just sat there. Why hadn’t he buried his fingers into her hair and kissed he senseless. He should’ve laid her back on the sofa and kissed her until they’d both forgotten their own names. But no, he had just sat there frozen in shock.

He surged to his feet suddenly.

“Fuck” he repeated to himself once more. Has he completely screwed this up? She probably wouldn’t come anywhere near him now. Looking around in panic as an anxious knot formed in his stomach. He needed to go see her, grabbing his wand from the table he left the room and the food on the table. Striding off down the hallway, he had to see her. Beginning the climb up the moving stairs to the fifth floor where he would find the Ravenclaw common room he was focusing on what he would say to Ash once he was able to find her again.

Fred was so caught up in his own thoughts, that he jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand land firmly on his shoulder. Whirling around he met the dark eyes of Professor Snape.

“Weasley” Snape drawled “It’s after curfew.”

Fred blinked in genuine surprise at this information, him and Ash must’ve spent longer in the room than he had originally thought.

“Get back to your common room and stay there. 30 points from Gryffindor”

Fred quickly went to protest, both at the taking of house points and the fact he wouldn’t be able to continue his mission. Before biting his tongue, Fred had actually been lucky so far, he wasn’t given a detention for the greasy teacher. Simply nodding, Fred started to make his way back the Gryffindor common room he could feel eyes in the back of his head, as Snape trailed him ensuring he actually returned to his dorm. Climbing in through the portrait, Fred would have to go track Asherah down first thing in the morning instead he thought with an irritated sigh.

\-----~~~-----

“Ash!” Fred called spotting her dark head of hair down the corridor. Within a blink of an eye Asherah had looked behind her and met the eyes of Fred before seemingly disappearing from his sight two seconds later. Fred growled to himself in frustration she had managed to avoid him all week.

Even his attempts at cornering her in the library had failed as he hadn’t found her at her usual spot once. He later learned that the Ravenclaw tower had a library of its own and suspected that’s where she was now doing her work. The few glimpses he had caught of her in the Great Hall weren’t good either. She would either finish her food and slip away from him too quickly, surround herself with others so he found it difficult to approach her one on one. Or she wouldn’t show at all, Fred’s theory was that she’d taken advantage of her knew knowledge of the Kitchens location in order to avoid him further, which was later confirmed by a house elf. 

Fred felt George wrap his arm around his shoulder when he saw his brother had been once again successfully avoided, not knowing any advice to offer or word of comfort to give. The two brother locked eyes communicating silently.

“What do you want to do?” George asked sensing the frustration coming from his twin.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to force her into talking to me. But I also don’t want this game of cat and mouse to continue” Fred replied, still looking in the direction Ash had disappeared.

“Maybe it’s time to corner the mouse?” George suggested.

“How? She’s as slippery as an eel these days.”

“Common Fred, you’re more creative that that” George nudged his brother before adding “It’s only at the sight of you that she bolts, maybe its time to call in some reinforcements?” George hinted.

Frowning slightly, Fred wasn’t sure, like he said earlier he didn’t want to force Ash into a situation but despite wanting to talk about what had happened, he genuinely just wanted to be in her company once more and felt himself getting more desperate over the last week.

“Okay” Fred agreed. But first they needed a plan.

\------~~~------

Asherah had been avoiding Fred as much as possible throughout the day. Every time she thought back to the time they had sat on the sofa, and she had leaned in and kissed him she felt her body flare up with embarrassment. She was furious with not only herself for being weak enough to give in to a moment and follow her gut instead of her brain and logic. And her gut had betrayed her. She knew she shouldn’t have let bloody Nicole and Callan get in her head. They planted a seed, which turned out to be a weed. She clearly completely miss read the situation.

Ash looked into the mirror of the girls bathroom and as she suspected her cheeks had flared up from the memory of the situation alone. She was mortified that he hadn’t responded to her advances. Even shoving her away from him would’ve been a much better situation than effectively the indifference he had shown to her. Ash groaned lowly begging the thoughts to leave her. She had been going around in circles in her own mind and had been fervently avoiding any sign of ginger hair that came her way.

Splashing the cool water from the taps onto her face, she tried to focus her thoughts elsewhere. When a distraction came stumbling in the form of a ginger girl. Ash recognised her immediately as Ginny Weasley, Fred’s younger sister. From what the older girl knew she was a brave and clever witch, her brother Hurley was in her year, and she knew that he admired and liked the fiery girl.

“Hi” Ginny greeted her.

“Hi” Ash replied mildly cautious.

The two had never spoke to one another, and it instantly set Ash on edge she knew Fred had been attempting to talk to her; most likely wanting to let her down gently about the kiss. But Ash couldn’t face talking to him and she wasn’t convinced Fred wouldn’t set his sister on her to try corner her some way. It was the kind of cunning plan she would fully expect from the ginger lad.

“You’re Asherah Phoenix right?” Ginny asked what she already knew.

“Just Ash is fine, but yes” Ash responded in kind.

Nodding Ginny approached her, deciding to blunt and honest. “My brother – Fred, he wants to talk to you.”

Ash raised her eyebrows in mild amusement at the assertiveness of the third year, and the fact that her initial caution had been appropriate.

Following the girls lead of honesty Ash responded the same. “I don’t really want to talk to him at the moment” she told Ginny. Not until she had regained control on her side of things, Ash thought to herself.

Ginny simply shrugged “Fair enough.”

Once again, the younger girl had surprised Ash, she had at first thought she was going to have to battle her way out of the girls way.

“That’s it?” Ash questioned “You’re just going to leave it at that? Didn’t he send you in after me?” Ash wondered perhaps her first theory had been wrong. But now felt even more on edge at the way this conversation was going.

“He did” Ginny confirmed, her red locks bouncing around her head as she nodded “Promised me his old broom, as well as a never-ending pile of chocolate on top” she added.

Narrowing her eyes at her Ash was fully on guard now. “That’s a lot to give up on me simply saying no.” Ash stated.

“It is, isn’t it” Ginny agreed. “But I believe you can offer me something much better. And I in turn can help you out too.”

Ash turned to face the girl head on when she heard this.

“Oh?” Ash questioned “and what would that be?” she asked.

“That’s simple” replied Ginny. “I need you to help me with something specific that stays between us. And I’ll help you deal with Fred.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave comments, they're super helpful!  
> Plus I've been toying with the idea of a George story, but will of course want to finish this one first, what do you think? I am a Fred girl through and through, so not convinced.


	14. All Bets Are Off

“Just for the record, this is a highly stupid idea” Ash informed Ginny who was currently kneeling by her side, leaning over the bubbling cauldron. Ash slapped the girls hand away when she went to touch the cauldron. Ginny’s hand snapped back to her side, that girl’s slap was nearly as powerful as her mothers.

“Don’t touch it.” Ash told her off.

“I personally think you’re rather enjoying this actually” Nicole commented lightly. She stood leaning against the sink basins watching the other two witches. Nicole had become involved in Ash and Ginny’s conversation last week when she walked in on the two deep in conversation and demanded to be included. With Ash’s reassurance Ginny agreed. The three girls now spent many spare hours in the old bathroom brewing this potion.

Ash had discovered that she was very fond of Ginny, the girl was head strong, clever, witty and funny and was glad they had become friends.

“What’s next?” Ginny’s question tore Ash’s glare from her friend.

“We wait” Ash told her with a sigh and began to pack away some of the mess they had created. Ginny and Nicole quickly joined her in clearing up the products scattered around the floor.

“So…” Ginny began. And immediately Ash felt cautious looking up hazel eyes met blue ones. “Fred.”

Nicole’s hand had also paused in their movement of picking up a book on the floor when she heard Ginny begin talking, glancing quickly at her friend, she saw Ash holding the stare with the red head, before she shrugged.

“What about him?” Ash asked choosing to play dumb.

“You like him” Ginny stated boldly. Watching in amusement as the older girl got flustered from the simple statement.

“Of course I like him. We’re friends” Ash continued to play dumb to Ginny’s unsubtle probing.

Ginny rolled her eyes. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“You like Harry” Ash retorted. Watching in satisfaction as Ginny became as red as her hair. But unlike Ash, Ginny didn’t fidget.

“How would you know?” Ginny replied smartly.

“I have eyes” Ash stated firmly. Daring Ginny to continue this conversation. Nicole watched the whole exchange with amusement. Nicole thought how both girls seem to have met their match in each other.

“Fred seems very keen to talk to you. Actually, he’s barely stopped bugging me about it. Makes me curious about what happened you know” Ginny continued down her line of fire.

“I thought you agreed to help me as I’m helping you with this” Ash said, gesturing to the simmering potion by their feet.

Ginny crossed her arms before turning to Nicole.

“Do you know?” she asked the blonde girl. Who simply looked between the two girls sat before her.

“I do” Nicole replied calmly. Smirking at the memory of when Ash had come tumbling back to the dorm, flushed with embarrassment.

“Will you tell me?” Ginny asked boldly.

That caused Nicole to let out a laugh, Ginny was growing on her more and more. The girl had no form of subtly. It caused Nicole to question why Fred had thought it was a good idea to recruit his little sister in order to help him.

“What’s it worth?” Nicole replied, grin growing larger, as she saw Ginny smile wickedly and Ash let out an undignified cry of protest. Grinning Nicole winked at Ash; she would never really betray her friends trust but it caused entertainment watching her squirm.

“All right, all right I’ll tell you Ginny” Ash said, while glairing at her friend. Before giving Ginny a quick explanation of the events that had caused Ash to avoid her brother like the plague.

Ginny just sat there with a grin. “So you do like him” she commented when Ash had finished.

Ash just let out a groan of exasperation in reply.

\------~~~------

With the help of Ginny, Ash had been able to successfully avoid Fred’s company. She was walking back from the green houses, having just finished her turn of watering the plants; Professor Sprout liked to rotate the duties around the students. Ash felt a figure fall into step beside her, and immediately panicked when she sensed the height of this individual. Panic flooded her when she looked up expecting to be confronted by Fred but felt a flood of relief when he realised it was just George, identifying him by the way he held himself. Although that relief was short lived as she eyed the boy at her side, glancing around warily for any sign of his other half.

George simply smiled down at her and continued by her side on the walk back up to the castle in silence.

“George” Ash greeted. George smiled to himself, of course she could tell them apart.

“Ash” he returned the greeting. The silence descended once more, before Ash stopped in her tracks and looked up at him. George simply lifted an eyebrow as he stared back at her. Watching in entertainment as Ash cheeks seemed to tinge pink. He wondered to himself if it was always so easy to make her blush. Or maybe she just saw Fred’s face in his own, he thought as he held her stare.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Smiling George started walking once more. “Just making sure Fred’s girl gets back safely.” Laughing fully when the light blush turned to a blazing red.

“I’m not his girl.” Ash ground out, picking up her pace hoping to lose the boy. It was futile of course. George’s legs were twice her lengths and he adjusted his pace to match hers easily.

“That’s not what I’ve heard.”

Ash simply rolled her eyes, and kept her pace steady, if she could get to the Great Hall she could shake him off.

“What do you want George?” Ash asked

“Fred is moping” George stated. “It was amusing for the first few days, but now even I am getting fed up with him. And Ginny has apparently thrown their deal down the drain.”

“What does that have to do with me” Ash asked, playing dumb. She realised she had been doing that more than she used to before.

Grabbing Ash’s arm, George was the one to pull her to a stop this time.

“Can you two stop acting like 2nd years and just talk” George said seriously looking down at the smaller witch who held his stare. “You’d be saving everyone a lot of trouble.”

“I’m not acting like anything” Ash replied offended.

George simply held her stare. “You run the other way every time you see us.” He stated slowly as though she wasn’t able to fully understand him.

“I have not” Ash pointlessly denied. “I’ve just been busy.”

“Oh yeah?” George questioned gaze hardening. “Well in that case you seem free now, lets go see him together” Keeping hold of Ash’s arm, he began to drag the girl through the doors, and down the corridor.

“George!” Ash pulled and tugged to get her arm free. “Let me go!” she yelled at him, paying no attention to the portraits who stared at the two students.

“George!” she yelled again, as the taller boy showed no intention of slowing his pace.

“What’s going on here?” They both stopped in their fight and turned to face Arroyos amused expression as he watched his sister struggle to get her arm released by the Gryffindor beater. George and Ash both glanced at each other silently trying to communicate what to tell him.

“Your sister was just joining me on adventure” George told Arroyo, ignoring Ash’s scowl at his side.

“Oh” Arroyo said, raising his eyebrows at his sister, who simply gave him a small smile and nod. “Well before you go, you may want to hear this.”

“What?” Ash asked, pulling her arm slightly to see if George had loosened his grip during her brother distraction. He hadn’t.

“Guess who I just caught snogging in the nook” Arroyo told her looking as giddy as a small child.

“No way” Ash was fully distracted by her brother now. “Cal and Nic?” she guessed, the first names that came to her head, that her brother would give a shit about.

Arroyo nodded gleefully back at his sister, excited by his new found item to tease his younger brother mercilessly with.

“Merlin” Ash breathed out, before thinking with a scowl another reason why her brother was so pleased with this information. She now owed him a galleon from their bet made at the beginning of the year.

As if reading her thoughts Arroyo reached out his hand. “Cough up loser.” shaking her arm free of George at last in order to dig in her pockets with a scowl, handing over the shiny coin.

“If I find out you’ve lied, there will be hell to pay” Ash told Arroyo grumpily, although she knew it was unlikely he was making it up.

“Thank you” Arroyo claimed merrily. “Enjoy your adventure” giving his sister a huge grin as he strolled happily down the corridor leaving the other two in the corridor.

Ash felt her stomach drop to the floor, as once again her arm was seized by George, who began dragging her once more down the corridor.


	15. Tapestry

“This is ridiculous” Ash told George who continued to drag her to who knows where “At least stop dragging me like a petulant child!” she finally snapped at the older boy, yanking her arm away from his grip finally in her frustration. Letting out a sigh George turned to face her. Ash knew it was irrational, but she had trouble even maintaining eye contact with the boy who was a pure reflection of the one she had been doing her best to avoid.

“Are you going to come with me willingly then?” George asked her, looking down at the brunette girl.

Rolling her eyes at him, Ash moved to stride out in front of him.

“Yes. As long as you agree to strop dragging me around the castle like a rag doll” she informed him, setting the pace down the corridor. She felt him jog to catch back up to her side, this time they walked in amiable companionship. Although, inside Ash was panicking although she was back in control of the direction they headed at least. She was trying to figure out the best way to get out of this situation. When help arrived in the form of another girl.

A soft gasp was knocked out of a familiar blonde girl, as Nicole stumbled round the corner and walked straight into a Weasley twin and the friend she had been looking for.

“Hey there you are!” Nicole exclaimed “I’ve been looking for you. I need to talk to you.”

“Ah yes” Nicole’s attention was dragged to the tall boy, who had replied in her friend’s stead. “Here to give us all the juicy gossip on Callan Phoenix’s kissing techniques ey?”

Nicole flushed bright red, as Ash made some exaggerated gagging sounds for his side.

“George! That’s my brother you’re talking about” Ash complained her face still screwed in mild distaste at the thought of her brother kissing anyone.

“Right, sorry” George said, not sounding apologetic in the least

“But Ash has some unfinished business to tend to with me first Nicky” George directed at Nicole. Nicole frowned in distaste at the boys nickname for her, not appreciating it. Before looking to Ash to see what she had to say in reply to George’s statement.

Asherah recognised her opportunity of escape and quickly linked her arm though the taller girls.

“Sorry Georgie seems we’ll have to postpone” she told him in an exaggerated tone of disappointment.

Shaking his head and frowning at the pair of Ravenclaws who stood in front of him George tried to think fast of a way to stop them from walking away from him.

“Oh no you don’t. I’m sure Nicole here wont mind tagging along with us. That way we all get what we want” George smirked down at Ash, who instantly frowned at his words.

Nicole simply looked back and forth between her friend and the tall boy.

“What’s going on?” Nicole questioned, noticing the distress look that came to her friends eyes, and took note of the glee that entered Georges.

“We’re off to see Fred” George told her happily. Nicole finally understood the look of panic in her friends eyes, she had been trying to convince Ash to simply talk to Fred for days, but her approach was a lot softer that George’s apparently.

Nicole felt conflicted when Ash’s eyes turned to silently plead with her, partly wanting to rescue her friend, and partly wanting to sit back and watch what would unfold. But before she could make her mind up on what she could do to get her friend out of this situation, short of dragging her away. Nicole and Ash were forcefully separated, as George took an arm each and began to march them both down the corridor.

\------~~~------

“Look George, I think this is a sign that we should just give up” Ash told the boy hopefully, as George stuck his head into the fourth room they had checked in order to try find Fred. Huffing in frustration, George simply glanced at her before dragging them towards the next destination.

George had looked in all the usual places he could find his twin, the Common Room, the dorm, the empty classroom on the fifth floor that they often hung out in, the Great Hall. At no sign of his twin so far, he was annoyed after all the effort he had gone to track Ash down and drag her to Fred and he couldn’t find his insufferable brother anywhere, and he knew his time with her was running out. There was one more place George was going to check before he too would give up on this now becoming pointless search. He vowed silently that he would never get involved in his brother’s love life again. Much too time consuming.

Setting off to the secret room that Fred and George often did their experiments in, he then frowned in thought and looked to the girl beside Ash. George knew that Fred had shown Asherah the room, and that’s where the kiss had taken place. George had often caught Fred day dreaming while staring starry eyed at the sofa in that room and often left the potions boiling over for too long. Fred trusted Ash, so by extension so did George, but he was unsure about her friend. Not that she had shown any qualities not to be trusted, but if Fred and George’s room was uncovered or ratted out by someone, it was going to make life and making their products three times more difficult.

Coming to a stop at the top of the corridor he found himself making a decision, releasing Ash’s arm and nudging her a few step in front of them. Smiling as Ash turned to face him confused.

“I believe you know the way from here” he told her.

Ash frowned and looked down the corridor her eyes stopping on the tapestry that covered the entrance to the room, she had ran from. Before meeting George’s eyes once more. She was confused as to why George wasn’t going to drag her there.

“If he isn’t in there, you’re free to go” George told her, while glancing down at her blonde friend. Ash quickly caught on to the fact that George didn’t want to show the location of the work room to anyone else.

“In where?” Nicole the piped up looking down the corridor and then between the other two who stood facing each other.

“Never you mind that ” George said quickly, slinging his arm over the blonde’s shoulders “We have a lot to discuss. Now tell me, does Callan dig a tongue in? he seems like the type” he asked cheekily, steering Nicole forcefully back down the way they had come, ignoring the girls blush and Asherah look of disgust. As he threw a cheeky wink over his shoulder at Ash who simply stared at the two retreating figures. Nicole was so caught off guard by the tall boy that she didn’t even resist as she was led away from her friend.

Once the two were out of sight, Ash continued to stare at where the others had disappeared around the corner. George was an idiot she thought to herself. She could easily return to the common room and forget this even happened. He wasn’t here anymore to force her into the uncomfortable situation. Sighing Ash turned to stare at the tapestry. But maybe George and Nicole had a point. Maybe she should just get it out of the way. Logically thinking it was silly to be embarrassed around him, although understandable. If she was being honest about the situation, the longer she avoided Fred’s company the more awkward it would get. And despite the fact it would be uncomfortable to begin with, she didn’t want to lose Fred’s friendship over some mild embarrassment.

Steeling her breath, Ash reasoned with herself as she began to move forward towards the tapestry, he may well not even be in there. With a decisive nod, that she would give herself credit for at least checking, she ducked in behind the tapestry and made her way down to the door. Pausing at the wooden door, she took a deep breath, trying to calm the anxious knots inside her stomach before knocking lightly and grasping the handle. Poking her head around the door, Ash swept the room with her eyes as they came to a stop as they landed on red hair. Ash followed his arm with her eyes which was swung around the shoulders of Angelina Johnson.

“Ash” she heard Fred breath out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait of a new chapter! Hope you enjoy! Please do comment, I read all of them, and they honestly mean the world to me :)


	16. Small Smiles

“Ash” she heard Fred breath out.

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry” Ash rushed out, immediately backing away from the room. Fred continued to stare at her from the sofa, his neck twisted round to face her frozen in place. And apologies once more came flooding from Ash’s mouth.

“Sorry, I didn’t realise you had company, I’ll leave you to it.” she sent a small smile over to Angelina who had yet to say a word but continued to look back and forth between Fred and Ash from her place on the sofa.

“No, wait.” Fred called a tinge of desperation in his voice as he looked between the two witches in the room before surging to his feet and making his way over towards Ash. His tall frame blocked out the view of the rest of the room as he approached closer. Filled with a slight nervous energy Ash stepped back into the hall.

“Honestly Fred, I’ll just catch you later” Ash gave him a tight smile before swiftly exiting the room and back up the short hallway. As soon as she was out and into the hallway Ash breathed in deeply and felt her hand come over her heart, her chest suddenly felt tight and uncomfortable, as she sped off down the hall, her heart racing. It must have been less than twenty seconds later, when Ash heard her name being called.

“Ash!” Fred called out.

Simply increasing her speed, Ash desperately tried to clear her mind. She had no idea why she was suddenly being so emotional, usually one to keep a fairly tight lid on her reactions, and unless extreme moments occur. She was never one to emotionally react to any situation.

“Asherah!” Fred practically yelled this time.

He was a lot closer than before and clearly agitated.

“Seriously Ash!” a firm hand grasped her elbow and spun her round to face him, his actions weren’t gentle, and his grip remained firm, as Ash instinctively tugged at her arm. Ash was struck with a small sense of déjà vu; except this time it was a different Weasley twin who had her in their grasp.

“You were going to run again?” he asked with a raised eyebrow and an exasperated look on his face.

“You were busy!” Ash exclaimed once more tugging on her arm. She desperately wanted to escape his company. Fred scoffed down at her, before proceeding to drag her to the closest empty classroom he could find. He wasn’t going to go through another two weeks of Ash constantly wiggling out of his sight even if it included dragging her against her will.

“Fred!” Ash called in shock, as she was dragged behind him. Fred simply ignored her like she had done previously to him, the irony was not lost on her. His grip hadn’t slackened either as he pulled at her, he was clearly annoyed with her. Ash felt a flare of her own emotion flare up back at him, this situation they were in wasn’t completely her fault. However, before she had a chance to express her annoyance or even do something more drastic such as an aim an elbow into his side, her arm was released.

Puffing a breath of indignation at him, she whirled around fully intending on giving him an earful, before he had the audacity to this time seize both her shoulders and shove her into the classroom. Slamming the door shut harshly. Muttering both a locking and silencing charm.

Ash simply peered at him cautiously. Watching his tense broad shoulders as he continued to keep his back to her. He seemed to be breathing rather heavily. Ash had never once in all her years at Hogwarts witnessed Fred seem so tense. His nature and posture had always been carefree and relaxed, even when playing Quidditch, he performed with an air of unquestionable confidence. So despite her previous annoyance, she felt guarded at the unusual agitation clearly displayed on the older boy.

“Fred?” Ash questioned cautiously, unnerved by the continuous silence.

“You ran again.” he stated his voice full of undeniable frustration, he remained with his back to her.

Swallowing thickly, Ash shuffled from foot to foot. She had been wanting to talk to Fred about everything that had happened, but she had never imagined this to be a tense conversation. Expecting more discomfort and avoidance of eye contact out of embarrassment; Not once did she imagine the conversation to be a heated one.

“Listen Fred…” Ash began uncertainly, moving further into the classroom, turning her own back on him. Looking around the room her eyes scanned the double desks around the room, and the high windows, showed a glimpse of the black lake, the surface glistening in the early evening light. The sun was slowly dipping down past the line of the forbidden forest, filling the room with a golden light. Sometimes she forgot how beautiful the grounds of Hogwarts really were.

Remembering herself then and who she was with, she turned to face Fred once more. But Ash felt her breath get caught in her throat as she met Fred’s gaze, he had turned away from the door as she had been gazing out the window. His skin was bathed in the golden light, making it look soft and warm to the touch and highlighted his many freckles. His red hair glowed like fire in the evening glow and eyes sparked darkly holding an unfamiliar gaze as he looked across the room at her. Blinking slowly as Ash took in the sight of the beautiful boy, she felt all her thoughts simultaneously rush into her mind and flood out again. Fred was overwhelming to her, even in his silence.

“Fred I…” she began again. But all her thoughts of what she was going to say left her again. With a heavy sigh, she turned back to the window to watch the sun once more, hoping it would provide the answer. She could feel the heavy stare of Fred on the side of her face waiting patiently for her to continue.

“I’m sorry” she settled on, turning to face him once more.

“I’m sorry about the kiss. I’m sorry I avoided you for so long and was a coward about it.” She smiled softly at him from across the room before continuing. “I’m not a Gryffindor, being brave isn’t in my direct nature. At least not with stuff like this.” This time she gave him a sadder smile.

Fred continued to watch her from where he stood. He felt his earlier agitation sink out of him as he looked at Ash, watching her being bathed in the golden light of the room. Her eyes looked like liquified honey to him in that moment and all the memories of her came flooding to him in that moment.

The day he first saw her, drowning in her school robes like many of the other students who had yet to fully grow into them, her blue and bronze tie was pulled to be loosened around her neck as she looked around the hall in awe at everything around her, like all of the first years, the glint of wonder in her eyes that never died down in that first year at Hogwarts. It was in that moment that Asherah had imprinted herself into Fred’s heart. As a young second year, who had barely even noticed the difference between boys and girls. Ash had turned her warm eyes from the boy next to her (who Fred later learned was her older brother) and unconsciously met Fred’s over at the Gryffindor table, when she seemingly smiled at him. In reality, Fred realised she was most likely smiling at the whole room. But in that moment, Fred was sure she smiled directly at him. Not him and George. Just him. And that was the moment his little second year heart was lost to the first year Ravenclaw, before he even learned her name.

Looking back at Ash now standing across the room from him, similar to all those years ago. He felt all those innocent and completely absorbing feelings he had always had for her come flooding back with an intensity in that moment. Fred knew he was head over heels for this girl. He had been aware of it for a long time, he had also accepted a long time ago that no one else would do. He only had room in his full heart for this one witch.

“Ash” Fred began gently and quietly. “That kiss in the room was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.” Huffing out a big sigh, Fred broke eye contact and started pacing the room. His earlier agitated energy seemed to have returned to him. He was eager now for Asherah to understand how he felt, for too many years had he bottled it all up.

“You’ve no idea do you” Fred spun and addressed her - borderline harshly, as Asherah stared up at him with wide and surprised eyes. Fred moved forward so he now stood directly in front of her, perhaps a meter away as his hard gaze studied her small form.

“No idea about what?” Ash asked hesitantly, eyeing the distance between them.

“How mad you make me!” Fred suddenly snapped, as Ash blinked surprised at his outburst.

“You have no idea how you have made me feel for years and years do you! I used to go about my day looking forward to dinner time because it was the only opportunity I got to see you during the day. I can’t count how many times I dragged George into helping me pull of the most extravagant and over the top pranks to try get your attention for even a moment. Or pulled possibly dangerous stunts during a quidditch match during a Ravenclaw game in hopes you would maybe ask your brother if he knew anything more about me!” Fred practically yelled at her.

“And then when I was finally accepting the fact you would most likely never be part of my life, we start to become friends. All those moments in the library, and by the lake. Talking and just hanging out. Those days where you would tell me another little detail of your life and you listened to mine. All of them meant something to me! And after you started avoiding me like I had dragon pox for weeks on end, it was horrible. Before I was used to only having snippets of you in my life, but after I was used to your continuous presence, it was just ripped away from me. And I hated every minute of it!” Fred was breathing heavily now, as every emotion he had felt in the past month bled out of him.

Asherah was stunned as she stared at the tall boy in front of her, his hair dishevelled from running his fingers through it in frustration. Desperately she tried to get her brain to process everything he had just told her, but once again today her mind failed her. All she could register was Fred stood in front of her. Fred who had practically bared his soul to her, and she didn’t know how to respond to his outpour of emotions.

“I… I-” Ash began to stutter out a response as Fred continuously stared down on her, his gaze hard. Ash stopped attempting to say something and she simply stared up at him in shock, her eyes looked him over, she took in his heaving shoulders, his flushed cheeks and wild eyes. Every part of him seemed tense in that moment as if ready to bolt whenever the need to came. She felt him watching her back just as intensely, waiting for a clue as to how she felt.

“I… I-” she started once again before sighing aggressively with frustrating and squeezing her eyes closed when once again words seemed to fail her. This time Asherah was the one who began to pace as she felt the tension begin to coil within her stomach, while Fred watched.

“I don’t know what to say” Ash whirled on Fred in that moment.

“You were right. I had no idea. None whatsoever.” She told him frustratedly. “And now you just spring all of this on me in this moment.”

“Hang on a second-” Fred began to interrupt.

“No!” Ash snapped then. “If all of that shit you just told me is true, then why didn’t you kiss me back that day? Why did you sit there and do nothing! Do you know how embarrassed I felt afterwards!”

“That’s not fair-” Fred once again began to interrupt, as he followed her paces around the room in equal frustration.

“Well. I don’t hear your excuse” she snaped

“If you would let me speak, I’d tell you” he snapped back.

“Don’t talk to me like that” she shouted at him, now just looking for a reason to fight as she felt the burning energy inside her.

“I’m not speaking to you like anything!” Fred raised to the bait. “You’re not giving me a chance!”

“Well go on then! Here’s your opportunity!” she heaved at him.

But instead of answering her, Fred grasped her by the back of her hair and pulled her roughly into him, slamming his lips down on hers in an almost bruising manner. His other hand came to grasp her by the waist and steady her. He felt her gasp against him from the sudden movement before he felt her kissing him back with equal ferocity. His tongue probed at her lips, as she opened her mouth in response, resulting in a deep groan coming from one of them.

Instincts then took over them both, as they poured all of their frustrations at each other into the kiss. Fred walked into Ash pushing her backwards, one hand stretched out to feel the wall before pushing her firmly against it, not once breaking their contact. His head was bent at a deep angle to accommodate their height difference, while Asherah stood on her tiptoes reaching up to him with everything she had. Her hand fisted into his hair as she tugged on the locks, fingernails lightly scratching his scalp, pulling a deep groan out of him. She felt one of Fred’s hands dip under her school jumper, holding her waist firmly, she could feel the heat of his hand though her shirt as he slipped one of this legs between her thighs, pushing her further into the wall if possible. Fred broke away from her lips in that moment and turned his attention to her neck. Kissing and lapping at the flesh there, pulling her shirt collar away in order to reach more of her tanned flesh. Nipping at the area when she gasped, before returning his lips to hers. Asherah’s hands had copied Fred’s movements and were now clutching at the material of his shirt, by his hips in order to steady herself. With the tips of her fingers she could feel his defined hipbones as he moved as well as his solid torso and more warm skin.

Ash’s thoughts finally caught up with her. Ripping her mouth from his suddenly she breathed heavily as she continued to clutch his shirt, resting her forehead against his shoulder. She could feel Fred panting above her as he rested his head a top of hers. They both breathed heavily as their individual racing thoughts fought to keep up with each other.

Ash felt fingers below her chin, as her face was raised to meet Fred’s who was staring down at her, lips swollen and hair dishevelled. Asherah assumed she looked in a similar state and felt her face flush heavily as Fred looked at her with a dark and hungry gaze. He leaned back in and placed a slower, deeper kiss to her lips, Ash’s eyes automatically closed and responded once more, she felt the heat pool in her stomach again. This kiss was different. It no longer held the deep desperation and frustration the first one had, but was no less passionate.

Pulling from him once again, Ash looked Fred over with heavy eyes and swallowed thickly, as Fred leaned his forehead against her own. A small smile tugged at his lips as he gazed down at her. Ash let out a deep sigh, before returning her own small shy smile back up at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review/comment! I enjoyed writing this chapter, felt like this moment needed to come already! Let me know what you think will happen next! x


	17. Jam and Toast

“So, I happened to notice you arrived back at the dorm awfully late last night” Nicole said grinning at Ash from across the table, once her best friend had seated herself. Asherah quickly snagged a piece of toast from the rack and began to butter it silently, before answering her friend. Finally meeting Nicole’s eyes from across the table.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Ash replied, keeping a firm and impassive gaze on her friend.

Nicole hummed noncommittedly while smirking at her friend, which despite her efforts, her cheeks began to pinken.

“Moving on. Have you managed to complete that Transfigurations essay yet? I’m having trouble narrowing down the correct terms she wants us to use.” Ash asked. Nicole recognised her friends efforts to escape the conversational topic, but due to the fact they were sat in the Great Hall with all sorts of ears around them, Nicole decided to let it slide for now.

“Yeah, I finished it off a few days ago. I can help you if you like? I found a good book for sources that you can use” she replied. The two girls quickly got caught up in a whirlwind of conversation about their subjects. Ash smiled politely at her brothers as all three of them dropped in around the pair of girls. But didn’t pause her conversation with her friend to greet them, offering a head nod instead.

“Are you two talking about that Metamorphmagus essay for Fig?” Arroyo jumped in after listening to the two girls for a minute. Ash turned to nod in confirmation, watching as Arroyo grimaced.

“I remember that essay at it was set for me two years ago. It was bloody painful” Arroyo pulled a face at the memory of the difficult subject. “It put me off wanting to study further about the theories of Human Transfiguration anyways.”

Ash rolled her eyes at her brothers slightly dramatic confession.

“You’ve never liked writing essays anyways Ro” she told him pointedly.

“No one likes writing essays Ash.” He rolled his eyes right back at her. “Except maybe Cal. But he has no life” Arroyo sniggered when he had to duck a flying bread roll, aimed at his face by his brother.

Ash snorted while observing the two boys before returning her attention to the girl in front of her, who was suddenly very quiet and nervous looking. Confused Ash directed a kick at her under the table in order to get her friends attention, but Nicole ignored Ash’s foot and continued to admire her plate of bacon. Frowning it wasn’t until she noticed Callan glancing at her friend from across the table, every few seconds that Ash finally caught on. She was suddenly struck by a sense of guilt that she never got round to inquiring what occurred between the two of them the other day as she was so wrapped up in her own thoughts of Fred.

Arroyo also seemed to pick up on the growing tension across the table in that moment, as he met Ash’s eyes, the two of them shared a knowing look. But just before Arroyo could make a stupid comment and before Ash could hurry to interrupt him. A broad figure with red hair suddenly planted themselves firmly down on Nicole’s left, and sat across from Ash.

The whole group turned to face the figure with a look of surprise. He shot Ash a wink across the table and swung his arm around Nicole, while removing a piece of bacon from her plate and popping it into her mouth. In that moment Ash was pretty confident her suspicions that this twin was in fact George. She would have to figure out a physical way of telling the boys apart soon she thought to herself. She couldn’t keep guessing off their characteristics, which was her current only telling with the two boys. But they seemed identical down to the last freckle. It was easier when only Fred would hang around her, but more often than before George was making appearances.

“Hello” George greeted them, as if this was the most normal occurrence.

“Hi George” Ash said. Grinning internally when George nodded, confirming her guess, and also giving the others a hand in helping determine which twin this was.

“Fine morning isn’t it?” George continued conversationally.

Nicole narrowed her eyes at the boy as he continued to devour her plate of breakfast.

“What are you doing here Weasley?” Nicole asked. Aiming her fork tongs at his hand, as he aimed to take the next piece from her plate, but his beaters reaction caused her to miss. The arm around her shoulders tightened then, causing Nicole to look up at the boy.

“Well. We had such a lovely time together yesterday I thought we could continue today.” George informed her happily.

Nicole looked at the hand slung on her shoulder, before looking back into the boys face, narrowing her eyes at him. She had to admit although yesterday was odd, she had enjoyed the company of George. He was quicker and wittier than she had expected him to be. Thinking originally, he would have a more juvenile sense of humour based off the pranks him and his brother pulled.

“Right…” she said slowly, voice full of suspicion. Before reaching for a slice of toast instead, since George had successfully polished off her plate. She raised her eyes at met Ash’s confused and questioning stare and shrugged in reply. A bit baffled by the situation herself.

“What happened yesterday?” a low voice asked from the other side of Ash. Asherah glanced up to see it was Callan who had voiced the question and was looking at the arm slung across Nicole’s shoulder with a dark gaze.

Ash quickly swung her gaze to her friend. George was fully aware of whatever was going on between her brother and her friend. And also was most likely more than aware that Callan hadn’t been the biggest fan of the twins ever since that day in the corridor, with Fred and Ash – which now feels like a life time ago to Asherah.

“Oh… Um… Nothing really, we just hung out a bit” Nicole answered, while staring at the spot in-between Callan and Asherah’s head.

Ash felt herself cringing at her friend’s unsmooth reply. Glancing warily at her brother from the corner of her eye. Callan appeared tense, but otherwise he gave a small nod. The whole table was suddenly drenched in a pool of silent tension in that moment, everyone’s eyes seemed to meet each other’s and then dart away quickly, unsure of what to say next. Asherah moved her gaze over to George eventually and saw that despite him taking note of the obvious discomfort on the table, he otherwise seemed to ignore it after a minute and began reaching for the pancakes in the centre of the table instead.

Wondering to herself if he was up to something no good, she let her eyes rise to scan the Gryffindor table. She scanned it from top to bottom looking for George’s twin, when her eyes landed on the correct figure. Ash’s stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch at witnessing Fred sat with Angelina, heads close together discussing something serious by the looks on their faces. She had been wondering ever since her and Fred had exited the classroom and he walked her back to the Ravenclaw tower about what the two Gryffindors had been doing in that room before she interrupted them. She had also wondered whether Fred had actually talked to Angelina before chasing after her or not. But she had lost her nerve to ask when Fred kissed her gently before she slipped into the common room. And only later at night wondered if she even had a right to be asking questions over a seemingly innocent enough looking scenario. Considering Fred and Angelina had been friends for years as well as teammates in Quidditch team together. Ash decided there was no reason to ask what they had been doing that night and that it was ultimately none of her business. After all even though Fred had kissed her and made a deep confession of sorts it didn’t mean they were automatically together.

Realising she must’ve been staring while getting lost in her thoughts, she was startled when Angelina met her gaze suddenly. A few words were said to Fred as suddenly his attention also turned towards where Ash was sat. Ash felt herself flush and immediately whipped her head away to focus back on her own group.

George seemed to have noticed what had happened as he gave a snort while looking amused at Ash’s flustered form. He shot her a cheeky wink, which only caused Ash to redden further as she glowered at the Gryffindor sat across from her. But thankfully George seemed to know better than to make a verbal comment.

“What are you doing?” An affronted voice asked.

The question brought Ash fully back to reality in that moment. Ash soon realised it was George who had actually spoken. Panic flicked through Ash quickly. Maybe he didn’t know better than to comment after all.

The whole group looked around confused as to whom he was addressing. But George’s eyes were fixed on Nicole’s figure. The blonde looked slightly confused and panicked at the attention directed on her.

“What?” She questioned back.

“That” George gestured to her hand.

Asherah was just as confused now as everyone else, as she looked to her friends hands which held a slice of toast half covered in jam. Furrowing her brows Ash looked back at George for more context, as did everyone else.

“What?” This time Asherah asked for her friend instead.

“I just watch you cover two pieces of toast with a _spoon_ instead of a _knife_.” George stated clearly, his eyes still never wavering from Nicole’s face.

At his statement the whole table let out a collective groan. This was an argument and discussion they had been having since the first year. It was an action that nearly every person who ate breakfast with Nicole commented on. At one point Nicole had stopped eating toast altogether just to get away from this little debate.

“She claims that the knife often rips into the toast, where as the spoon just glides the jam onto the surface” Hurley’s voice piped up from the other side of Nicole.

Hurley had been quiet through most of the breakfast, and was still nervous around Nicole but was slowly getting back to normal with each passing day.

George gave Nicole a blank look.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard” He informed her.

“Well, you’re a Gryffindor. If you understand anything it’s stupidity.” Nicole retorted back. While returning her attention back to her jam and toast. Ash felt Callan and Arroyo snort from beside her.

George simply ignored the comment and the boys reactions and continued talking to Nicole.

“Did you ever consider using less pressure with the knife?” He asked Nicole as if addressing a small child.

Ash rolled her eyes. She had heard this conversation a thousand times before. And Nicole like a true Ravenclaw had yet to back down from an argument when she believed she was right.

“A knife doesn’t distribute the jam properly.” Nicole told him patiently, before smirking at George.

“Here, you try it.” She said picking up a plain slice of toast from the centre of the table and offering it to him.

George eyed the slice of toast in Nicole’s hand warily as if concerned it was going to burst into flames at any second. Ash watched the exchange with entertainment from her side of the table.

“No. It’s weird” George finally shook his head. While Nicole rolled her eyes at him and placed the toast back down. The tall boy then climbed to him feet.

“Well this has been fun” George said whilst cracking his knuckles loudly.

“But I must be off, lots more beautiful women to visit.” He said while winking at Nicole and Ash, as both the girls rolled their eyes at him.

“Catch you later Ash, Nicole, Arroyo, little Phoenix” George addressed each one of them with a nod of his head, before his gaze landed on Callan.

“Phoenix” George said, looking the boy up and down before strolling off towards his brother.

Asherah’s eyebrows once more furrowed in confusion watching the passive aggressive exchange between her brother and George. Before looking at Nicole for an answer, but she had her eyes narrowed on George’s back as he walked away.

“Tosser.” Ash heard Callan huff from her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler chapter but I enjoyed writing it. Hopefully it was okay to read too! x


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